Board of Education candidates in their own words
The school board election will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday
Tuesday’s Board of Education election and vote to approve the district’s budget increase will be the first time in four years that voters take to the polls in in April.
While 85 percent of the school district’s operating budget is supported by state aid, the school tax makes up the largest percentage of a homeowner’s tax bill.
Voters will cast ballots for a $6,768.45 tax levy in support of the $65,436,804; up 3.1 percent from last year. This equates to a $20 annual increase for the owner of the average $227,000 assessed home.
In January, the sitting BOE members voted to move the election and budget approval to April 19. Polls will be open from 3 to 9 p.m.
There are two three-member teams vying for the three open seats on the Board of Education.
The Moving Ahead Together team is comprised of incumbent Connie Breech, former board member Barbara Lesinski and newcomer Dominic Latorraca.
The From the Community for the Community team consists of sitting Board President Nicolle Harris, former board member James Famularo and newcomer Derrick Grant.
Each of the six candidates were asked to tell us why they are running and to speak to issues facing the school district and/ the changes they would like to help implement. We begin with the incumbents, followed by the former board members, and wrap up with the newcomers:
Nicolle Harris is a life-long resident and is currently working to obtain a master’s degree at Drew University. She is a graduate of Delaware State and licensed minister. Harris was first appointed to the board and is serving her first elected 3-year-term. She is the sitting Board of Education president.
One of Harris’ goals is to do away with the need for a state monitor, she said. “I want to see us progress and do better,” she said. “Right now the culture is changing in a positive direction. It’s a pride thing; right now you have five members of the board who all went through the Asbury Park School system, all graduated, and all came back. We are all in our 40s, and remember being in Asbury Park High School. What you have is an opportunity to help that culture to continue to change. When all of us get in this month, we will go from five of us on the board to seven of us. Can you imagine the kind of culture change that is going to make. You will have a board with seven people that went through the Asbury Park School system, who came back to serve their community. Nothing against those who are running against us but they do not have that peace – we have that peace. We are up there, fighting for the community that raised us – that’s what makes us different. What scares me about this is that I now that there are people who are running that were doing divisive things – like bringing ethics charges – I don’t want to be set back because we have made so much progress and we are building on something. I have worked hard these last several months as the board president because more than being accountable to the state or the state monitor, I am accountable to you.”
Connie Breech is an Asbury Park Police Department Patrol Officer who founded the Asbury Park Toy Drive 16 years ago. She won a national award for her work providing holiday gifts to the city’s youth and is a U.S. Army veteran. Breech stepped down from her first term on the Board after serving two years for personal reasons and is currently in the third year of her second term.
“I would just want to caution voters to look at everything,” Breech said. “This is an important election and you have to look at the facts and past practices, then determine what we need moving forward. People just need to vote smart. They just need to look at the big picture and base their votes on that.” If elected Breech said she would continue to support the Superintendent’s plan. “He needs the years and he needs our support with his decision making. We need to keep in line with our fiscal responsibility as far as our costs per student. I’m trying to look at ways that we can reduce per pupil spending. Taxes are taxes, but the biggest thing is to bring in programs for the students, to keep the students here and not have them transfer to different charter schools or high schools. We want to offer them an education they can be proud of and for them to be able to continue on with their education once the graduate from high school. The goal is to make them positive, respectful adults. That is the main thing because that is our future.”
Barbara Lesinski is a retired certified science educator who was first appointed to the serve on the Board of Education in order to fill a vacated seat. She went on to serve two full term on the Board of Education but lost her bid for a third term by 10 votes in November. The over 30-year long city resident has served as a Commissioner and chair of the Housing Authority and worked as a city police dispatcher.
“It’s really important that we get this whole community involved in making decisions and participating in elections, and things that are going on in town,” Lesinski said. “We need dedicated board members who will make the right decisions during difficult situations. Our children need to be reading on or above grade level. We need accountability from our professional staff as well as from the Board of Education members and to align our curriculum to serve the next generation students and new core curriculum mandates. I hope that the individuals in town who are talking about our schools in a derogatory manner are the ones that are going to come and help the three of us get elected so this school district can continue its upward spiral. I don’t want to see a super majority on the board that may take away from things that are happening right now. Not approving personnel appointments – it’s happened before and I don’t think it’s a good thing for the children. The children have to be our concern, not who our friends are, who our business acquaintances are, who maybe are helping us get elected, it’s about what is good for the children.
James Famularo attended the University of Pittsburg for his under grad and graduate degrees. He has a master’s degree in public administration and served assistant executive director on the Housing Authority before serving as the assistant city manager. His public service record dates back 20 years, when he first served two years on the Board of Education. He is currently employed as a substitute teacher. Famularo heads a campaign to have four quality of life ordinances placed on the November ballot.
“I’m all about eradicating poverty and restoring the middle class,” he said. “I would look to hire residents for these non-teaching jobs because I believe in order to have a better functioning school system you have to change the economics in the household. The school district and the city are two largest employers in the city. Our residents need the opportunity to obtain those jobs.” Famularo said the fact that Asbury Park falls at the bottom of the state ranking of schools should be looked at as a sign of hope. “We are 609 out of 610, so all we can do is go up,” he said. “To understand why something is failing you have look to assess and evaluate and the Superintendent has done that. He knows what the problem is, so from this point on we have to build on what we know about how we failed. We truly want to be there to build on that progress.
Derrick Grant is an ordained elder and associate minister, vice president of the National Action Network Asbury Park Chapter, and the founder and president of Christian Leaders United, a progressive grassroots political movement.
“I want to ensure that our youth are prepared for this emerging culture and this emerging society,” he said. “I want to make sure they are equipped to be leaders and innovators. By strengthening our curriculum we will able to strengthen our test scores.”
While his personal goal is to grow the city’s marching band program, “raising test scores is my first priority.”
Dominic Latorraca is running for his first bid on the Board of Education. He bought a home in Asbury Park in 2007 and here fulltime in 2008. He has 30 years’ experience in education and is the Director of Career Training at Brookdale Community College.
“I feel I can bring that experience to help improve one of the last areas of Asbury Park that is critical for our children and the city as a whole,” Latorraca said. “We hope to bring a new focus and level of professionalism on the board so that we can focus on the really important things for the children; raising the test scores and bringing about more graduates. If we can keep our eye on the ball as we move forward. If we can raise both the performance of the schools and the perception of the schools, it’s just going to be that final step in making Asbury the great place that it is. I feel I have a record of accomplishment in education and a record of integrity.”
For a list of polling places, visit the Asbury Park Muncipal website here.
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