Eight candidates are running for three seats on the Hamilton Township Board of Education. Albert Gayzik, Richard Kanka and Jen Riddell are incumbents. Challengers are Michelle Episcopo, George Fisher, Sue Ferrara, John Kroschwitz and Gregory Mahon. Below are seven of the candidates’ biographies and responses to the four questions asked by the Hamilton Post. Mahon did not respond.
Michelle Episcopo
Episcopo, 46, is a data specialist and a alumna of Hamilton High School West.
She has worked in the community as a fundraiser for the Alfred Doan Jr. Memorial Foundation, and has been a member of the PTA. She has three sons, including twin boys who are currently seniors at Nottingham High School. Her oldest son is in his senior year at Rutgers University.
Epsicopo responded to the questions in English and Spanish. Her Spanish reponses follow after her English ones.
The closing of the district’s playgrounds this fall once again put a spotlight on the district’s aging infrastructure. All but one of Hamilton’s 23 schools are 50-years old, and many have been standing for a century. How do you explain the district’s delay in modernizing and maintaining its facilities, and what will you do to bring about improvements? Be specific.
Unfortunately, I can’t explain the districts delay. I know the district is making improvements, and I am sure they are trying with the funds available to make as many improvements as possible. I will make sure these issues and any others continue to be addressed, by reading all facilities reports, reviewing plans and brainstorming with fellow board members to come up with a plan and make sure that plan is followed through.
The introduction of PARCC last year revived a statewide debate about standardized testing. What role should standardized testing have in shaping the actions and policy of the Hamilton Board of Education?
The BOE is mandated to administer statewide testing. I believe the BOE should take a strong look at how our district in particular can address the needs of our students, teachers and staff pursuant to the testing mandated by the state. They need more consistency in the way testing is administered, time allocated and policy pertaining to students who opt out of taking these tests and how their schooling can continue during those times.
As of mid-October, the search for a new full-time superintendent persists a year after James Parla resigned. This is the BOE’s second extended search for a superintendent in five years. Even the search for the current interim superintendent lasted months longer than anticipated. Do these long searches indicate anything about the state of the school district? Explain.
Yes, it indicates that a suitable, trustworthy leader is hard to find for a district of this size. There have been many administrative changes over the past 5 years, trust issues and legal issues that have hit the BOE. I feel that the BOE has appointed an experienced leader that is bringing stability to the district, who leads by example.
When someone asks you, “Why should I send my child to Hamilton’s public schools,” what are three reasons you would use to convince them this is a great place for children to grow up and go to school?
I believe this district has some of the most dedicated teaching staff that continues to prove each day that the children in this district and their education are the most important thing and first priority. We have a diverse community in Hamilton and many of us care very much about our children and the community as a whole. In my opinion the current leadership of this school district has recently turned the corner and is now welcoming more community input, and suggestions that help to improve the experience and education of all the students.
El cierre de parques infantiles del distrito este otoño una vez más había puesto un foco en infraestructura de envejecimiento del distrito. Todos sino uno de 23 escuelas de Hamilton son 50 años edad y muchos han estado de pie durante un siglo. ¿Cómo explicar la demora del distrito en la modernización y mantenimiento de sus instalaciones, y ¿qué hará usted para introducir mejoras? Ser específica.
Por desgracia, no puedo explicar el retraso de los distritos. Sé que el distrito está haciendo mejoras, y estoy seguro que tratan con los fondos disponibles para hacer tantas mejoras como sea posible. Voy a hacer que estos temas y otros seguirán a abordarse mediante la lectura de todos los informes de instalaciones, revisión de planes y lluvia de ideas con otros miembros de la Junta a elaborar un plan y asegurarse de que ese plan es seguido a través de.
La introducción de PARCC año pasado revivió un debate estatal sobre las pruebas estandarizadas. ¿Qué papel deben pruebas estandarizadas tienen en la conformación de las acciones y políticas de la Junta de Educación de Hamilton?
El BOE tiene el mandato de administrar pruebas de todo el estado. Creo que el BOE debería echar un vistazo fuerte a cómo nuestro distrito en particular puede satisfacer las necesidades de nuestros alumnos, profesores y personal en virtud de las pruebas impuestas por el estado. Necesidad de mayor coherencia en el modo prueba se administra, tiempo asignado y política referente a los estudiantes, que optan por tomar estas pruebas y cómo puede continuar su educación en esos tiempos.
A partir de mediados de octubre, la búsqueda de un nuevo Superintendente de tiempo completo persiste un año después dimitió James Parla. Se trata de segunda búsqueda extendida del BOE de un Superintendente en cinco años. Incluso la búsqueda de la actual Superintendente interino duró meses más de lo previsto. ¿Estas búsquedas largas indican nada sobre el estado del distrito escolar? Explicar.
Sí, indica que un adecuado líder (confiable) es difícil de encontrar para un distrito de este tamaño. Ha habido muchos cambios administrativos en los últimos 5 años, cuestiones de confianza, y legal las cuestiones que han afectado a la BOE. Creo que el BOE ha nombrado a un experimentado líder que está aportando estabilidad al distrito, que lleva por ejemplo.
Cuando alguien te pregunta, “¿por qué debo enviar mi hijo a las escuelas públicas de Hamilton,” ¿Cuáles son tres razones que desea utilizar para convencerlos que este es un gran lugar para que los niños crecen y van a la escuela?
Creo que este distrito cuenta con algunos del personal docente más dedicado que sigue demostrando cada día que los niños en este distrito y sus enseñanzas son la cosa más importante y prioridad. Contamos con una comunidad diversa en Hamilton y muchos de nosotros cuidado muy mucho de nuestros niños y la comunidad en su conjunto. En mi opinión el liderazgo actual de este distrito escolar recientemente ha dado vuelta a la esquina y ahora le da la bienvenida más aportes de la comunidad y sugerencias que ayudan a mejorar la experiencia y la educación de todos los estudiantes.
Sue Ferrara
Ferrara, 61, is a freelance writer. She holds a bachelor’s in elementary education from SUNY-Geneseo, a master’s in communications from UNC-Chapel Hill and a doctorate in public communications from University of Maryland-College Park.
She has not held elected office, but previously has run for school board. For the last 11 years, she has been a vocal observer of the Hamilton Township school district.
The closing of the district’s playgrounds this fall once again put a spotlight on the district’s aging infrastructure. All but one of Hamilton’s 23 schools are 50-years old, and many have been standing for a century. How do you explain the district’s delay in modernizing and maintaining its facilities, and what will you do to bring about improvements? Be specific.
We all need to talk about the Hamilton school district of the future. We have three high schools. Should we create one STEM school, one Arts school and one VoTech school? Should the district implement magnet school programs in elementary schools? Should the three middle schools become single grade level buildings, with one 6th grade building, one 7th grade building and one 8th grade building? The community needs to discuss options before spending money to rehabilitate or build new.
The introduction of PARCC last year revived a statewide debate about standardized testing. What role should standardized testing have in shaping the actions and policy of the Hamilton Board of Education?
Achievement benchmarks provide school districts concrete goals; placing the onus for student achievement on the backs of teachers and administrators, however, ignores variables we know exist in learning. Teachers are not athletic coaches for pro-teams, picking and choosing the best players. Teachers work with all students. Parents and the community bear some responsibility for achievement by modeling life-long learning. The superintendent—the district’s CEO: Chief Educational Officer—must guide the board’s responses on PARCC.
As of mid-October, the search for a new full-time superintendent persists a year after James Parla resigned. This is the BOE’s second extended search for a superintendent in five years. Even the search for the current interim superintendent lasted months longer than anticipated. Do these long searches indicate anything about the state of the school district? Explain.
In the October 2015 issue of School Administrator, writer Julie Hackett noted, “high superintendent turnover is an issue that plagues entire states, not just individual school systems.” Hackett suggests strong superintendents lead districts by building relationships among staff and the community which in turn creates a learning environment for success. Hamilton needs such leadership. The BOE selecting the next superintendent must think of the future as opposed to maintaining the status quo.
When someone asks you, “Why should I send my child to Hamilton’s public schools,” what are three reasons you would use to convince them this is a great place for children to grow up and go to school?
I could not encourage families to move to Hamilton solely for the schools because the priorities are out of balance. People whine about playgrounds while remaining mute about elementary schools having to share librarians, for example. Neil Bencivengo’s fourteen years of leadership built competitive athletes while virtually ignoring the need to build inquiring minds. Too many students graduated into remedial classes at Mercer County Community College. The district needs to refocus priorities for future student success.
George W. Fisher
Fisher, 67, is an attorney. A graduate of Hamilton High School West, he holds a bachelor’s from St. Joseph’s College and a law degree from UNC.
He served on the Hamilton Board of Education from 1983-1986. Fisher has two grandchildren who he said may attend township schools in the near future.
The closing of the district’s playgrounds this fall once again put a spotlight on the district’s aging infrastructure. All but one of Hamilton’s 23 schools are 50-years old, and many have been standing for a century. How do you explain the district’s delay in modernizing and maintaining its facilities, and what will you do to bring about improvements? Be specific.
As a member of the last BOE to approve the building of a new school in Hamilton (1986, Crockett), I have seen boards and administrations since then choose to ignore the need to maintain and upgrade, or to build, facilities, in order to fund positions for relatives, friends and political cronies and gain community and political party credit for not increasing taxes. As a member of the next BOE, I would encourage return to the use and implementation of a long-term capital budget providing for routine maintenance and upgrading of infrastructure.
The introduction of PARCC last year revived a statewide debate about standardized testing. What role should standardized testing have in shaping the actions and policy of the Hamilton Board of Education?
Standardized testing should be only one of the factors used to assess educational opportunities provided by the district and academic performance shown by district students. It should not be the be-all and end-all for assessment. As currently utilized, standardized testing has the tendency to produce a commonality that diminishes the quality of education available to individual students in a typical school district. As a practical matter, the BOE must comply with the laws requiring standardized testing. However, it should not permit sound educational policies and practices to be diverted from education of students to a “teaching to the test” mission.
As of mid-October, the search for a new full-time superintendent persists a year after James Parla resigned. This is the BOE’s second extended search for a superintendent in five years. Even the search for the current interim superintendent lasted months longer than anticipated. Do these long searches indicate anything about the state of the school district? Explain.
Long searches point to the failures of prior administrations and boards in the district. Recent administrations have either failed to identify the problems in the district (e.g., a patronage system of hiring and promoting that focuses on any and everything except merit) or, more likely, have been aware of those problems but chosen not to tackle them. Boards have been more interested in self-promotion and self-advancement than in student progress or unable to comprehend the nature of district problems and the development and prioritization of solutions and therefore complicit in the failures. The consequences of such failures have been absence of a comprehensive plan to improve the district, continuing decline of the district and increasing difficulty in finding a new, permanent superintendent able and willing to take up the many challenges the district faces.
When someone asks you, “Why should I send my child to Hamilton’s public schools,” what are three reasons you would use to convince them this is a great place for children to grow up and go to school?
The stark but sad truth is that Hamilton is one of the worst, non-city public school districts in New Jersey. Once begun, improvement to the district and repair to reputation such that the district can honestly advertise its motto “quality education to all students” will take years! With that truth in mind, I cannot in good conscience try to convince anyone that Hamilton is a great place for kids to be raised and educated; and I would hope that parents with the ability to do so look elsewhere to raise their children and/or to educate them.
In the meantime, as a member of the BOE, it would be my mission to provide the intellect, common sense, courage and drive that our recent boards and administrations have so apparently lacked, in order to focus the direction of the district on preparation and execution of a comprehensive improvement plan that recognizes the problems the district has and provides attention to and solution of them. Only then will the district be able to honestly and with conviction argue that Hamilton provides opportunity for a thorough and efficient public education.
Richard J. Kanka
Kanka, 64, is a Local 9 HVAC Mechanic. He is a graduate of the Hamilton School District, and currently serves on the school board.
He is the president of the Megan Nicole Kanka Foundation, Inc., a past Groveville Volunteer Fireman and Hamilton Girls’ Softball Association manager and coach.
The closing of the district’s playgrounds this fall once again put a spotlight on the district’s aging infrastructure. All but one of Hamilton’s 23 schools are 50-years old, and many have been standing for a century. How do you explain the district’s delay in modernizing and maintaining its facilities, and what will you do to bring about improvements? Be specific.
When 78 percent of the budget covers sale rise and benefits and another 9 to 10 percent covers operations, it doesn’t leave much for education. A budget has not been approved by the voters for many of the previous years prior to cap budgets. As far as the equipment around the playgrounds, the district depended on township inspections and reports to the board. The age and conditions of the buildings falls directly on the non-passage of past budgets, no money could be budgeted for infrastructure improvements. When the district had some funds allocated, the State allocation of funds was reduced by 5 percent in 2010. The $16-million reduction really handcuffed the Budget Committee and the board, which the board is still trying to recover from.
The introduction of PARCC last year revived a statewide debate about standardized testing. What role should standardized testing have in shaping the actions and policy of the Hamilton Board of Education?
The Board is mandated by the State DOE and the state sets policy as far as testing. This mandate is, of course, unfunded. This has cost the taxpayers of Hamilton Township millions of dollars in updated computers and programs. I believe that the State DOE could have run a pilot for several years so districts could get funding in place. Shaping the testing is not the charge of the board but should have been tasked to educators statewide.
As of mid-October, the search for a new full-time superintendent persists a year after James Parla resigned. This is the BOE’s second extended search for a superintendent in five years. Even the search for the current interim superintendent lasted months longer than anticipated. Do these long searches indicate anything about the state of the school district? Explain.
The Board is in the process of beginning a new search for a permanent superintendent. The previous superintendent had indicated he would stay until he dropped it on the board at the 11th hour at the February 2015 meeting. The new search was thrown into a quandary by the timing. I would hope the board will move to have a new permanent superintendent for September 2016.
When someone asks you, “Why should I send my child to Hamilton’s public schools,” what are three reasons you would use to convince them this is a great place for children to grow up and go to school?
I think the Board is beginning to move in a more positive direction. With the changing of many policies and better hiring practices I think things will get better. The changing of nepotism policies the vigilance of the board the district will finally move ahead.
Albert Gayzik
Gayzik, 68, is a retired teacher and administrator with the Branchburg Township Schools. He has an associate’s from Mercer County Community College, a B.A. from The College of New Jersey, a M.A. from Ball State University, and a master’s in education from Rutgers University.
A current member of the Hamilton Township Board of Education, he has previously served on the Middlesex Borough Board of Education, Middlesex Borough Council and as president of Mercer County School Boards Association.
The closing of the district’s playgrounds this fall once again put a spotlight on the district’s aging infrastructure. All but one of Hamilton’s 23 schools are 50-years old, and many have been standing for a century. How do you explain the district’s delay in modernizing and maintaining its facilities, and what will you do to bring about improvements? Be specific.
The delay in part was preparing for PARCC. PARCC required annual budget allocations to gather equipment, align the curriculum to the common core and get the students access to computers. Fortunately, the district has a cadre of tradesmen that help keep the district operating with safe and sound buildings. The board has an energy savings initiative in place which is phasing in new lighting and heating equipment for the schools. Expect a referendum within a year to address multiple problems with our aging facilities and playgrounds.
The introduction of PARCC last year revived a statewide debate about standardized testing. What role should standardized testing have in shaping the actions and policy of the Hamilton Board of Education?
PARCC is the first standardized test to offer accurate diagnostic results and measure the equality of education within the district and throughout the region. As a district, the board can utilize the data to isolate specific problems and provide resources to correct them. The test data can validate the curriculum and/or highlight areas of nonalignment. Test data can help direct scarce resources directly where it is needed most.
As of mid-October, the search for a new full-time superintendent persists a year after James Parla resigned. This is the BOE’s second extended search for a superintendent in five years. Even the search for the current interim superintendent lasted months longer than anticipated. Do these long searches indicate anything about the state of the school district? Explain.
The selection of a superintendent or interim is a time-consuming process involving the advertising, review of applications and resumes, interviews and selection and contract negotiations. Each part of the process requires all of the board members without conflicts to be present. Clearing everyone’s calendar and arranging meetings takes a great of cooperation and time. The amount of time is not a problem, making the correct choice is the difficult part.
When someone asks you, “Why should I send my child to Hamilton’s public schools,” what are three reasons you would use to convince them this is a great place for children to grow up and go to school?
The three reasons I would use are as follows:
1. The people. Students and parents like their teachers and building administrators. Parents rally around their community schools and take a great deal of pride as alumni. Teachers enjoy working with their students and strive to assist them meeting their potential.
2. Academic opportunities. Hamilton has a curriculum aligned with the common core state standards that prepares students for a career and college. From preschool to college credit in the high school classroom Hamilton has a variety of academic opportunities.
3. Extracurricular activities. High school students can express themselves in numerous activities not available in smaller school districts. Students can participate in the arts, clubs, music, robotics, theater and sports creating a long list of credentials for post high school endeavors.
John F. Kroschwitz II
Kroschwitz, 56, is a retired school administrator for the Juvenile Justice Commission. He currently works as an Adjunct Professor and Supervisor of Student Teachers for The College of New Jersey.
A graduate of Hamilton High West, he holds a master’s in teaching from TCNJ (1986) and a B.A. from TCNJ (1982).
He formerly served on the Hamilton Township Board of Education from 2002-2005. Kroschwitz is the former chairman of the Hamilton Township Municipal Alliance, former chairman of the Hamilton Township Democratic Municipal Committee, a past exalted ruler of Hamilton Elks Lodge No. 2262 and a former member of the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.
The closing of the district’s playgrounds this fall once again put a spotlight on the district’s aging infrastructure. All but one of Hamilton’s 23 schools are 50-years old, and many have been standing for a century. How do you explain the district’s delay in modernizing and maintaining its facilities, and what will you do to bring about improvements? Be specific.
Due to the previously partisan nature of past Boards, the politcal will to introduce a plan to address these infrastructure issues could never come to fruition. It’s time for the Board to have the fortitude to arrive at a solution. If it means building a new school to consolidate students from the most aging and decrepid schools, so be it. But it also needs to be done in a way to make it as easy on your average taxpayer. Difficult to achieve perhaps, but I believe its doable.
The introduction of PARCC last year revived a statewide debate about standardized testing. What role should standardized testing have in shaping the actions and policy of the Hamilton Board of Education?
As the former Chief Test Administrator for a Statewide School District, I am aware of both the benefits and pitfalls of standardized testing. Standardized testing provides measurement of student achievement, but an overreliance on it often produces conclusions that aren’t representative of the reality of the situation. PARCC caused more problems than it’s worth. In my job as a Supervisor of Student Teachers, I visited schools all over Central Jersey and have witnessed how the administration of PARCC disrupted schedules, lesson planning and cut into valuable time that should be devoted to instruction. Curriculum and lesson planning should emphasize critical thinking skills and not be geared toward teaching to the test. If elected, I will do my utmost to see that this happens.
As of mid-October, the search for a new full-time superintendent persists a year after James Parla resigned. This is the BOE’s second extended search for a superintendent in five years. Even the search for the current interim superintendent lasted months longer than anticipated. Do these long searches indicate anything about the state of the school district? Explain.
This is a manifestation of the factionalism of past Boards, where often sides were drawn between those who wanted someone from inside the School District and those who wanted someone from outside of the School District. As I stated earlier, the Board needs more cohesion and should act in a more decisive manner when it comes to matters of this level of importance to the well being of the School District.
When someone asks you, “Why should I send my child to Hamilton’s public schools,” what are three reasons you would use to convince them this is a great place for children to grow up and go to school?
Hamilton Township is one of the very best towns in New Jersey to raise a family. We are a microcosm of the State, having urban, suburban and rural areas. Our proximity to Philadelphia and New York makes us a prime location, a destination in itself. Our schools have alot to offer, both academically and in terms of extracurricular activities. Our staff’s professionalism and dedication to the concept of a quality education for every student is second to none. We need a Board of Education with the vision and tenacity to unequivocally support this ideal into becoming an undisputable reality.
Jen Riddell
Riddell, 42, is the math supervisor at Montgomery High School. She holds a master’s in mathematics education from Rutgers University.
A current member of the Hamilton Board of Education, she has three children in district schools. Riddell is a volunteer coach for basketball and soccer, a religion teacher at Our Lady of Sorrows and a PTA member.
The closing of the district’s playgrounds this fall once again put a spotlight on the district’s aging infrastructure. All but one of Hamilton’s 23 schools are 50-years old, and many have been standing for a century. How do you explain the district’s delay in modernizing and maintaining its facilities, and what will you do to bring about improvements? Be specific.
Unfortunately the district’s delay on facility improvement is twofold. The task to rebuild is so tremendous because of the exponential decay from lack of attention over the last two decades that when taking actual steps to rebuild, it seems miniscule in comparison to the problem at hand. Bringing about improvements simply happens by committing time and money every budget year to keep our children safe and work very hard to educate the community on why a referendum is needed, and make that happen.
The introduction of PARCC last year revived a statewide debate about standardized testing. What role should standardized testing have in shaping the actions and policy of the Hamilton Board of Education?
PARCC was an overwhelming task last year. The department of education is looking to give guidelines for districts to use that make our children college and career ready. PARCC, in year one, was just too much. They have since changed the implementation of PARCC, making it more manageable, but still have it create data for districts to use for goals and such. The district did have to take action on time on instruction, so yes, the BOE does have to listen to administration when it comes to academic achievement and take action or reflect on policy/regulations.
As of mid-October, the search for a new full-time superintendent persists a year after James Parla resigned. This is the BOE’s second extended search for a superintendent in five years. Even the search for the current interim superintendent lasted months longer than anticipated. Do these long searches indicate anything about the state of the school district? Explain.
The multiple superintendant searches over the past few years, I do not believe, are any type of indicator to the state of the school district. Hamilton’s size, the districts’ needs, the pool of superintendants—these are all indicators to the struggles of finding a good superintendent for Hamilton. It is the single most important job that a board has to do, so it has to be done right. That takes time. When decisions are ultimately made, other things happen that are out of the control of anyone, but does prolong appointment. It is all about moving forward right now.
When someone asks you, “Why should I send my child to Hamilton’s public schools,” what are three reasons you would use to convince them this is a great place for children to grow up and go to school?
First is the staff. Hamilton has teachers, support staff and administration who truly care about children. Second would be program. I have seen a change in curriculum, educational experiences and extra curriculum opportunities that makes us compatible, and in some areas, above, our neighboring districts. Lastly, but I think most importantly, is the districts’ sense of community. Yes we are large, but when we need to come together to support any one cause, the 24 schools become one.
Pictured are six of the 8 candidates for Hamilton Board of Education: (clockwise from top left) Michelle Episcopo, George Fisher, Albert Gayzik, Jennifer Riddell, John Kroschwitz II and Rich Kanka.,
