Election 2024: Jaime Falco For East Brunswick Board Of Education

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - Candidate Jaime Falco is seeking a seat on the East Brunswick Board of Education. A graduate of East Brunswick High School, Falco is an optometrist and business owner, who is raising her family in the township.

In a Q&A with Patch, she talks about how her talents align with a role of BOE member.

Patch has sent out a questionnaire to all candidates. They will be published as we receive them. If you are a candidate and haven’t heard from us, please contact Sarah Salvadore at sarah.salvadore@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements.

• Name: Jaime Falco
• Age: 41
• Town of residence: East Brunswick, NJ
• Education: 2001, EBHS; 2001-2005, Pennsylvania State University, BS - Biology, Minor - Human Development and Family Studies; 2005-2009 Indiana University School of Optometry, Doctorate, Optometry
• Occupation: Optometrist, Business Owner, Consultant

1. Why are you seeking a seat on the BOE?

The education I received in East Brunswick prepared me for success in academics, entrepreneurship, and excellence in medicine. To give back to the district that provided me this opportunity would be a privilege. I care deeply that my children and my neighbors’ children experience a similar educational experience that fosters both academic and also social emotional development.

2. What sets you apart from the other candidates?

I am ENTP on Myers-Briggs(R) testing, known otherwise as a Trailblazer. Known for being driven by vision and possibility, only an estimated 4.3 percent of people have this personality type. I ran 11 offices in Texas with a newborn and toddler at home, through COVID, while managing my businesses in NJ remotely. All 13 businesses survived, thrived, and have grown since the pandemic. The offices in Texas grew so large they were sold to private equity in one of the largest VSP Ventures deals to date. But I resigned prior to their sale because I did not align with the company’s culture. When a CEO uses culture as a weapon and a measuring stick, it creates undue stress for team members. As CEO of my own companies, I have found that inspiring people through fair wages, comfortable work conditions, and professional empathy is the best way to lead. This matches up with my patient care promise, to provide thorough, compassionate healthcare. As such, I was recognized in 2023 as one of Newsweek’s Top 200 Optometrists. And while accolades are nice, I am more proud of the beautiful, inclusive clinic I built during COVID where patients of all ages and abilities can receive quality health and vision care.

3. What, according to you, is the biggest issue facing the school district?

Our biggest issue is the new organizational chart. With a $197M operating budget, we are the 28th largest district in the state. To have a singular superintendent with a business administrator performing the job functions of a superintendent is an injustice and inefficiency. Two people cannot be solely responsible for accountabilities in a district this large. Districts like Westfield are hiring Directors of Student Services to emphasize accountability in their special education department.

I would like to see distinctly divided responsibilities amongst central administration with a clear hierarchy to ensure accountability. Specific needs within our organizational chart include someone responsible for grant writing and proposals, and someone to act as a culture ambassador to ensure community needs are met; a solution to NJSBA rules and regulations regarding board member communication.

4. Are you happy with the way the district has handled state aid cuts? What would be your approach?

The state spends over $13B annually on education. Unfortunately, the school funding formula’s full execution has reduced funding to 140 districts including East Brunswick. Additionally, the school funding formula assumes a blanket 15.7 percent of each district’s demographic to have special education needs. In East Brunswick, 20 percent of our students have an IEP or 504 plan. This results in our district having to make up a 22 percent deficit for about 1600 students.

This need will continue to grow. Some solutions outside of raising taxes would be to decrease costs by redistricting (to reduce transportation costs), sell or lease land held by the district, apply for state or federal grants, or invest in our special education services, making hires/policies to safely and effectively retain students who may otherwise be placed out of the district.

5. There were discussions about expanding the high school either by building a new one or renovating the existing one. What are your thoughts on this?

Before we ask the community for a bond referendum there has to be compelling evidence to support one decision over the other. We have been kicking around the idea of a new high school for almost a decade, as the original building was constructed between 1957 and 1958. The facilities do need to be modernized for both comfort and also to reflect the needs of the modern high school student in East Brunswick.

I have submitted an OPRA request for blueprints and construction bid information for the high school, including the original 1957 blueprints. I hope to find the “missing” original blueprints which have not been produced through this process, to determine if the infrastructure can support renovation.

There are pros and cons to both sides. Building code is an important consideration — updates to the existing structure may mean more cost than anticipated due to the exploratory, then remediation process of bringing facilities up to code. Building a new building still includes the cost of demolishing the old structure, which can also be expensive.

Developing a Project Labor Agreement, or PLA, is the only safeguard we have against the lowest bid acceptance, which is required by law. The lowest bidder is not always the least expensive; the cost of change orders or modifications may exceed original contractor estimates if a poor choice is made.

The original $100M price tag from pre-COVID has been inflated to $400M in rumors only, there are no formal blueprints nor known costs yet. It is time to go forward and get this information so our children can get out of trailers and into buildings with appropriate HVAC and air conditioning.

6. What other aspects need to be improved in the school district?

Community trust and transparency are important to consider in a district such as ours. East Brunswick is excellent in so many ways, but the hows and whys are not always clear under current leadership. To offer our vote consensus in written summary, with a synopsis similar to court rulings, would help the public understand the logic behind policy and decision-making.

7. Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your campaign?

Civic-mindedness is a way of life in our household. We care deeply about the comfort and dignity of our neighbors and help to ensure said dignity in any way we can think of.

My amazing husband is already a local firefighter but felt he could do more. Now he is a volunteer with OEM for Middlesex County and will help with emergency and disaster responses. I pray his efforts will not be needed but take comfort in the knowledge that he will be strong and capable in a crisis. He chose well for his skill set.

I chose to run for our Board of Education because my talents align with a role of this nature. Working as a C-level executive and also being a business owner has taught me a lot about effective communication, proactive budgeting and what role an executive board plays in determining policy.

My experiences have strengthened my resolve to always abide by my morals. I believe in people-first business practices so strongly, I paid my whole team in NJ out of my own pocket through COVID. Dignity and comfort. I share this not for validation or acknowledgment, but so you know who I am as a person.

I will work hard for our town, and find innovative solutions for the problems we face both now and in the future. Thank you for your support.