Lawrence Township Board of Education Voters' Guide

Update: While Joshua Wilson recently indicated that he did not wish to continue his candidacy for school board due to “an unforeseen personal obligation,” his name will still appear on the ballot on April 17. The deadline to withdraw from the election in time to be removed from the ballot was March 5, according to school district officials.

Next Tuesday, April 17, Lawrence Township voters will head to the polls to elect members of the township board of education, vote on the and decide on a .

In an effort to help voters learn more about the candidates competing for school board, Lawrenceville Patch teamed up with the Lawrence Township chapter of the League of Women Voters to create the following Voters’ Guide to the school board election.

A questionnaire drafted by the League of Women Voters was sent out to the candidates and the candidates, in turn, sent in their responses to Lawrenceville Patch.

This year’s school board election is somewhat different.

Normally, only three members are elected each year to the nine-person board, each for a three-year term. But this year voters must also fill vacancies created by board members who left office early.

The three school board positions that would normally be up for grabs in this year’s election are currently held by Michael Brindle, Thomas Patrick and Kevin Van Hise.

Brindle and Patrick were elected to their current terms during the April 2009 school election, while by the school board to serve the remaining year of the term previously held by in March 2011 due to work commitments that prevented him from attending meetings.

Brindle has been on the board for 21 years and Patrick for six years.

The other two school board positions that voters will fill this year are a one-year unexpired term previously held by David Donahue and a two-year unexpired term previously held by Ginny Bigley.

Donahue, who was elected in the April 2010 school election, , while last summer just a couple months after the April 2011 school election.

last year by the school board to temporarily replace Donahue and Bigley until the 2012 election at which voters could decide for themselves who will serve the remaining years of those two terms.

A total of nine Lawrence Township residents submit a “nominating petition” by the :

The following submitted petitions to run for one of the three full three-year terms:

• Michael Brindle of Puritan Avenue
• Jo Ann Groeger of Temple Terrace
• Martin Hopkins of Gilpin Court
• Thomas Patrick of Van Kirk Road
• Kevin Van Hise of Federal City Road

The following submitted petitions to run for the unexpired term with two years remaining:

• Murali Aiyar of Port Mercer Road
• Dolores B. Reid of Huron Way
• Joshua Wilson of Shirley Lane

The following submitted a petition to run for the unexpired term with one year remaining:

• Michael Horan of Rydal Drive

Wilson recently announced that due to “an unforeseen personal obligation,” he was dropping out of the election. In an email to Lawrenceville Patch, he said:

“Due to an unforeseen personal obligation, I wish to discontinue my candidacy for Lawrence Township School Board, and remove myself from the upcoming election. I wish all of the other candidates best wishes and good luck in their service to the citizens of Lawrence Township.”

The Candidates

Murali Aiyar (one of two candidates vying for one unexpired term with two years remaining)

• Age: 49
• Education: M.S.
• Occupation: Clinical Trial Systems Consultant

W. Michael Brindle (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

• Age: 66
• Education: B.A. in music education, Glassboro State College; M.A. in music education, Trenton State College; Certificate for Supervisor of Instruction, Trenton State College
• Occupation: Retired music teacher (40 years with Hopewell Valley Regional Schools)

Jo Ann L. Groeger (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

• Age: 59
• Education: Bachelors of Science, Masters in Education
• Occupation: Retired health and physical educator

Martin Hopkins (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

• Age: 48
• Education: I received my college degree in Europe for mechanical drawing and English
• Occupation: I currently work for the Borough of Princeton in its Fleet Department.

Michael Horan (only candidate vying for one unexpired term with one year remaining)

• Age: 41
• Education: B.A. in journalism, Rider College
• Occupation: Director of Communications for the N.J. Motor Vehicle Commission

Thomas Patrick (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

• Age: 65
• Education: B.A., Syracuse University; M.A. and Ph.D., University of Kentucky
• Occupation: Professor of Finance and Chair of the Department of Finance and International Business at The College of New Jersey

Dolores B. Reid (one of two candidates vying for one unexpired term with two years remaining)

• Age: No answer given
• Education: I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Psychology, a Master’s in Clinical Social Work and a doctorate in Public Administration
• Occupation: I am presently retired but have spent many years as a social service administrator

Kevin Van Hise (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

• Age: 40
• Education: B.A., Rutgers University; J.D., Rutgers School of Law Camden
• Occupation: Attorney with Mason, Griffin & Pierson, P.C., Princeton

The Questions

Question #1: Why do you want to run for School Board now? What motivates you?

Murali Aiyar (one of two candidates vying for one unexpired term with two years remaining)

These are very interesting times at LTPS. The schools have put in place many programs, both academic and non-academic, that are preparing students to be ready with skills and knowledge for the 21st century workplace. With three kids in the system (7th, 4th and K), I had the opportunity to interact and observe the enthusiasm and hard work that these teachers are putting into educating the students. I wanted to be actively involved and ensure that the School Board in conjunction with the Administrators within each school as well as the Superintendent’s office provide all the help and assistance to these wonderful teachers. Fundamental requirement of a school system is meant to educate the students. We have to ensure that this system remains strong now and for the foreseeable future.

W. Michael Brindle (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

Having served for seven terms on the Lawrence Township Board of Education, I would like to continue working on improving the quality and cost containment that my fellow Board members and I have pursued over the time of my service within the school system. I want to be able to bring the best possible education for all students at an affordable price for the taxpayers.

Jo Ann Groeger (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

I would like to continue the work that I started when first appointed last year. That is to develop the whole student mind, body and spirit. As a Health and Physical education teacher I see this as extremely important especially as we see a continued decline in the health and wellness of our young people

Martin Hopkins (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

A time comes in one's life when it is their turn to stand up to make a difference and to give back to the community. I believe that time has come to hopefully be given the chance to be on the school board to unite it in a single effort to serve our community to the best of its ability. So we may form a new direction of ideas to make our schools the best they can be and to lower our property taxes.

Michael Horan (only candidate vying for one unexpired term with one year remaining)

I've always been involved in Lawrence in some fashion or another. Whether serving on Planning Board or coaching my son's soccer and T-ball teams, I've remained active in the community. With my son now in 2nd Grade and a daughter poised to start Kindergarten this fall, I've taken a greater interest in the functioning of our district. As I've stated before, a strong, vibrant school system benefits everyone who lives here, whether they have children in school or not. A good school system provides a top notch education for our kids, keeps our property values high, makes us a destination for visitors and new residents and benefits Lawrence economically because businesses will be interested in operating here.

Thomas Patrick (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

I am currently completing my second full term on the board. I take a great deal of pride in the school district and appreciate the opportunity to work on making a good thing better. I am running again because there is still a lot to accomplish. Budget challenges will always be there.  We as a district must continually find ways to save money.  The solar project, fiber optic cable, purchase of a storage facility off of Spruce Street, the purchase of some school buses, three-tiered bus schedules, and contracting out lunch service are some of the things we have accomplished. I am confident that we can find even more ways to save taxpayers dollars. 

We also have to find additional sources of revenue.  We are thinking about selling the naming rights to such things as the football field.  Should there be advertising in the Year Book? Some schools have allowed advertising on school buses. Other schools have gone so far as to have large ads placed on the front of several lockers (think of the ads on the side of a Snapple truck). Consideration has to be given to charging for participation in extracurricular activities (of which I am opposed).

Everything is not about money (even though I am a professor of finance).  I think our schools would be better off if we reduced the flow of students to local private schools.  This may be seen as a bit of a brain drain. We must find ways to better market a Lawrence education and to continue to make our educational experience more attractive so as to retain our best and brightest.  The career academies are a big step in that direction.

Part of the enjoyment of being on the school board is working with truly dedicated professionals.  I have enjoyed the new blood on the board this year.  It is good to get a fresh perspective on things.  The administration is a pleasure to work with.  Few people realize what an amazing job Tom Eldridge, the school district business administrator, has done for the township. If I were not on the board, I would truly miss working with Tom.

Dolores B. Reid (one of two candidates vying for one unexpired term with two years remaining)

I believe that my years and variety of experiences has prepared me to become a valuable and contributing member of the School Board.  I am especially motivated to become a member of the Board because I have three grand children, two of which are special needs and one of which is a talented athlete. They are all progressing well.  They and their friends speak well of their teachers and their schools and I would like to be a part of supporting and maintaining a strong and productive school system.

Kevin Van Hise (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

I have had the privilege of serving as a member of the School Board for the past year and have greatly enjoyed the opportunity to work with my fellow Board members, the administration, our teachers and staff in making sure our District is becoming the best it can be.  Even more enjoyable and rewarding has been the opportunity to interact with our students and parents in all of our schools and witness first-hand the phenomenal achievements of our students.  As an alumnus of the District, having attended kindergarten through twelfth grade in Lawrence, I am a strong supporter of our public schools and appreciate all my years spent here, knowing that the successes I have enjoyed, both personally and professionally, are directly related to the foundation provided by our District.  Now, with two children currently in elementary school here, I have a long term vested interest in ensuring that we are providing the best educational opportunities for all of our children, while doing so in the most efficient manner possible.   

Question #2: How will your personal and professional skills benefit the School Board? What do you “bring to the table?”

Murali Aiyar (one of two candidates vying for one unexpired term with two years remaining)

Running a school system is similar to running a business. Always looking to balance smart spending with great programs and curriculums. I am looking at ways to bring the business community into the school system which will provide the students with “hands-on experience” with live business situations in all areas of academics. I got involved early on to the school initiatives to put in place academic excellence, which has resulted in the Career Academies at the high school.

W. Michael Brindle (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

Having been in education all of my adult life,  both 40 years as a teacher and now 21 years as a member of the local board, I bring a demonstrated history and expertise of schools, teachers, administration, and Board of Education leadership.  I have served on or been chairperson of most board committees and I serve as the local delegate to the Delegate Assembly and the elected Mercer County delegate to the Board of Directors of the New Jersey School Board Association.

Jo Ann Groeger (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

As a recently retired educator in the district I bring a different perspective how to see up close and personal the challenges facing our teachers who are our first line of interaction with the students.

Martin Hopkins (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

I have worked both in the private sector and the public sector and because of that, I would know how to blend the two for better results in our school board's decisions, and therefore lowering our property taxes, while at the same time improving our school system for the children of Lawrence Township. That is why it is important to elect new individuals to the school board so they may bring new idea's to tackling the major issues that is the concern of every resident in Lawrence.

Michael Horan (only candidate vying for one unexpired term with one year remaining)

As someone who has served on numerous township boards and committees and coached recreationally, I have been able to easily establish a great rapport with people I meet, which will ultimately benefit me when working with a group like the school board. With nearly 20 years in the field of communications, I know my professional experience will help  me when it comes to explaining the complexities of school issues, but more importantly, when seeking to build consensus among all parties involved: taxpayers, parents, teachers, administrators and fellow board members.

Thomas Patrick (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

I come from a long line of educators.  My mother, three brothers and sister have been career educators.  I taught my first class in 1970 and am now in my 43rd year of teaching, 31 of these at The College of New Jersey.  Education is in my blood. I understand the view point of the district teaching professionals.  I also have served as an education administrator.  I have served a department chair for over 15 years. This has provided me with the opportunity understand the perspective of the district administration.  Currently as both department chair and professor I wear both hats simultaneously. This background also gives me the perspective of what a high school senior needs to be successful in college.  My three children have gone through the Lawrence Township School System.  From that experience I have some insight into what is working well and where we can make improvements.  I know many of the district faculty and all of the administrators. As a parent, I have faced some of the challenges that today’s parents face.

Currently, I am the only person on the board who combines a background in education with one in finance.  Finance is my academic discipline.  I have served as a financial consultant for several years.  I have chaired the school board’s finance and facilities committee for the past five years.  I am able to both understand and construct detailed budgets.  I have a good grasp of the financial impact of decisions and policies.  I worked closely with Tom Eldridge on the solar panel project.  This project involved the calculations of cost savings as well as determining the optimum method of funding.  This skill has also been used on several other district cost saving endeavors. I would like to think that I am one who is comfortable with thinking outside the box.  In these challenging times we need creative ways to both cut cost and increase revenue.  We cannot rely on increasing or even steady state aid.  Nor can we assume that there will be an end to the decline in tax ratables. That is something out of our control. 

School district administration is about more than money.  As a college administrator, I have developed people skills.  I have chaired many faculty search committees.  I have had to operate within the provisions set forth by the faculty’s union contact. These are attributes that are necessary to be successful on the Lawrence Township School Board.

The bottom line is that I am an educator and truly enjoy working with students.  I want what is best for them.  I know that students have a wide range of abilities and that one size does not fit all.  Not every student can or even wants to go on the college.  They all have needs and deserve to have those needs addressed.

Dolores B. Reid (one of two candidates vying for one unexpired term with two years remaining)

I am presently retired but have spent many years as a social service administrator who was responsible for policy, program and staff development in public child welfare agencies in several states and several local areas.  In those positions I often partnered and collaborated with state and local school systems as well as directed staff who did so.  I was also responsible for developing and monitoring budgets which included local, state and federal funding streams.  In several situations I successfully managed a local levy campaign which was designed to fund County Children Services.  I therefore bring to the table a strong policy, program, staff development and budgetary background.

Kevin Van Hise (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

Our School Board is a collection of nine different individuals.  Each of us brings different personal and professional skills to the Board and unique perspectives.  The teamwork displayed by our members has embodied the concept that “the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.”  Serving on the Board this past year has been a very rewarding and educating experience, and has provided a great foundation for continued service on the Board.   As a “new” member this year, I have attempted to bring new ideas and a fresh perspective to the Board, while simultaneously continuing the successes of the implementation of our District’s Strategic Plan – Fiscal Responsibility, Academic Excellence and Equity, Community Outreach, and Technology. 

I have spent the last twelve months learning about all of the various aspects of our District.  Of tremendous help during this time has been my professional background as a local government attorney.  Most of my daily practice is dedicated to representing municipal governments in various matters.  The legal issues that are now part of education account for an increasing portion of staff’s time and our budget.  The experiences of my daily job have helped me bring a specialized perspective to Board discussions of legal concerns.  This has helped the District respond more effectively and more economically to challenges and legal issues experienced this year.   

The Board also faced unique opportunities this year that I was able to actively participate in – for instance, selecting Dr. Crystal Lovell as our new District Superintendent.  As a member of the Personnel Committee, I have been actively involved in the numerous personnel changes of this past year, including the appointments of our Director of Instructional Services, several Principals and Vice-Principals, and other changes and additions to our District staff.  Additionally, I am the Co-Chair of an ad hoc committee that is examining ways to expand our vision for students to make more central additional fitness and wellness offerings, and enhanced extra-curricular activities such as sports, music, the arts, and other clubs and activities.  This will ensure our commitment to educating and developing a well-rounded, “total” student.

Question #3: Do you have any feasible solutions to keeping school taxes down in Lawrence Township?

Murali Aiyar (one of two candidates vying for one unexpired term with two years remaining)

LTPS has done a great job at keeping taxes down. In fact, in the latest budget, if the ratables didn’t decrease, we would have been in a situation of giving back to the community. We are continuing to find solutions to bring in additional revenues into the schools, which will ensure that the school taxes are always down.

W. Michael Brindle (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

Having been a member of and the chairperson of the Board’s Finance Committee for most of my years of membership on the Board, I have worked with the administration and the Board Secretary/Business Administrator in the development, passage, and implementation of numerous successful budgets. The current budget up for approval this year is an example of careful and sensible budgeting. It is under cap and yet does NOT require any reduction of staff.  Without the increase due to the loss ratables, the amount of tax dollars required in this proposed budget would have gone down.

Jo Ann Groeger (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

With the continued decrease in property taxes we must find alternate revenue resources. This can be accomplished in part by continuing to search for grants, contributions, sponsorships, etc. Additionally we need to explore legislative reforms that likely will increase revenue, ie. contributions/payments from tax exempt facilities that benefit from municipal services, increased State Aid, etc.

Martin Hopkins (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

Yes! I do and the first one would be to get back more of our Tax dollars from the State and Federal Government.  That will help fund our schools across Lawrence, and therefore lower the amount property taxes  people have to pay! Secondly, insist that the State pay for the mandates that it imposes upon the school district. This can be done by strong leadership in the school board with a focused purpose of achieving that goal.

Michael Horan (only candidate vying for one unexpired term with one year remaining)

First, we as taxpayers must recognize that factors outside of a district's control impact school taxes. Loss of ratables is a perfect example, especially this year. That said, a board should always look for ways to maintain or reduce costs across the board that ultimately impact the need for taxes. I would like to see the district develop a multi-year plan to become a fully paperless, look at expanding online and on-site group learning opportunities for educators/administrators and expand our IT infrastructure to increase efficiencies. I would also be interested in developing partnerships with local corporations that will not only provide an educational benefit to students but also district program support.

Thomas Patrick (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

There are two approaches to keeping taxes down.  We must reduce our costs while at the same time increasing our revenues.  Let’s look at reducing cost first.  The district has just begun laying fiber optic cables connecting some of our schools.  This project will result in substantial savings on the district’s Verizon bill.  We must continue with the second phase of this project to increase those saving.  The installation of solar panels has resulted in substantial savings.  The district still has the ability to install more panels.  While the savings may not be as great on additional panels as on those already in place, they should not be overlooked.  We are looking into geothermal energy as a possible cost saving.  This idea should be fully considered.  Every time a student with special needs has an out-of-district placement the district incurs a substantial expense.  We must provide for as many of these special needs students in district as possible.  If one of our students elects to attend to attend a charter school, we must foot that bill.  This has the potential to be an enormous expense.  We must make the Lawrence Township school experience attractive enough to retain our students.  We must go ahead with the purchase of the storage facility off of Spruce Street.  This will result in considerable savings of the rent we are currently paying for storage.  The purchase of some busses has saved the taxpayers money.  We should look into the possibility of doing more bus purchases when cost effective.  One place I am opposed to saving money is by reducing the number of faculty and teacher’s aides.  We have to remember why we are here and what our central mission is.

Increasing revenue is another way to keep taxes from increasing.  Other districts have sold the naming rights to their athletic fields.  We should do that also.  If we had advertising on school busses that could either bring in additional revenue or allow the companies that provide busing services for us to reduce the contract costs.  Some colleges sell the naming rights to classrooms.  I see nothing wrong with having a computer classroom designated as the Microsoft Inc. Computer Room.  This type of idea could apply to almost every room in the district.

Summer school could be a source of revenue.  It might be profitable to offer a wide variety of summer classes that would attract students from other districts who need a particular course to graduate from their district by the end of the summer. These courses could also allow other students to simply catch up.  Of course the sending districts would have to pay Lawrence for these courses. Perhaps we should advertise our career academies as an educational experience that students from other districts would be willing to pay tuition to take advantage of.

Even though the economy is down, I have found from personal experience that local businesses are still willing to fund various projects.  If this can work for my department at The College of New Jersey, it has a chance to work for Lawrence. I suspect there are companies that would be willing to sponsor various school initiatives.

Dolores B. Reid (one of two candidates vying for one unexpired term with two years remaining)

As to keeping school taxes down I know it is desired, but in these perilous fiscal times there is no magic bullet.  I would certainly see myself working diligently with Board Members and others on this problem.    

Kevin Van Hise (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

While the current school funding system remains in place -- increasing State mandates and demands on local districts while relying on local property taxes to fund our schools -- boards of education are hamstrung in efforts to provide dramatic levels of tax relief without significant cuts in programming, especially in recessionary periods like the present.  Despite these obstacles, the District has done an outstanding job in controlling costs while enhancing our academic programs and student performance.   Our new contract with staff will help ensure continued controls on salaries and benefits for at least the next three years.  As salaries and benefits encompass nearly 80% of the District’s total expenditures, working with our teachers to keep these costs in line is an essential component in keeping taxes down in the Township. 

In addition, I support our District’s commitment to continued cost savings measures, such as implementing green technologies like the solar initiative of a few years ago that reduces our utilities costs and generates revenue, shared services with the Township and other school districts to reduce costs, bringing services such as bus operations and installing our own high-speed fiber optic lines to connect schools in-house when economical, and our long-term planning efforts to anticipate future staffing and facilities needs in order to avoid required revenue spikes and corresponding tax demands on our community.  I also support our District’s continued re-assessment of student performance and school programming in order to ensure that our resources are being properly allocated and that we are exploring revenue-generating opportunities.  Additionally, I encourage the pursuit of grant opportunities and community partnerships to supplement our programs.  Over the past year I have seen the remarkable benefits that have resulted from our District’s partnerships with our Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs), booster clubs, and the Lawrence Township Education Foundation (LTEF).  The fundraising efforts and contributions of these organizations have directly provided enhanced opportunities for our students, contributed to the upgrade of our facilities and technology offerings, and have facilitated opportunities for innovative learning methods, all at tremendous cost savings for our taxpayers. 

Lastly, as part of the ad hoc committee, I am actively seeking ways to increase extra-curricular opportunities for the students by expanding our partnership opportunities with the Township, fostering greater coordination and cooperation between our sports teams and Township Recreation programs, and increasing student volunteer activities to give back to the community.  This will allow us to share resources, facilities and personnel, thereby enhancing the quality of our programs while keeping costs down.  Collectively, these strategies have and will continue to enable our District to enhance the academic successes of our students, while simultaneously keeping costs down and being fiscally prudent.

Question #4: Of the following three NJ Education Bills recently proposed by Governor Christie, which do you see as top priority and why?

• School Children First Act (S-807/A-981)

• Charter Reform Bill (A-980)

• Opportunity Scholarship Act (S-1779)

Murali Aiyar (one of two candidates vying for one unexpired term with two years remaining)

School Children First Act (S-807/A-981): The bill would create a statewide educator evaluation system consistent with the goals of the Obama Administration, ties tenure to effectiveness, ends forced placements and Last-In-First-Out (LIFO) personnel policies by using both seniority and educator effectiveness in staffing decisions, and reforms compensation systems. These changes will allow New Jersey to identify and reward the most effective teachers in a meaningful and fair way, while also better supporting those comparatively few teachers who are not effective.

Teachers are our educators and schools are expected to hire effective teachers who will educate our students. So it is imperative that we put in place meaningful policies that will reward effective teachers as well as support the development of less effective teachers.

W. Michael Brindle (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

Of the three bills, The Charter Reform Bill (A-980) could, in the long run, have the most effect on the Lawrence Schools. The impact of a charter school starting in our district may have a chilling effect on a school system.  Charter schools may have a place in some school systems but in successful districts they become a drain on the taxpayer. If the local Board and community is not consulted, the money is just taken by the state of N.J. for the charter school.  This bill (A-980), among other things, requires approval of the local Board before the charter school can be approved and local tax dollars spent.

Jo Ann Groeger (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

Opportunity Scholarship Act (S-1779) - This Bill has two potential benefits. First enabling qualified children from disadvantaged districts the opportunity to attend and receive out of district educations. Secondly it provides potential resources for funding to local districts that receive these students.

Martin Hopkins (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

As it relates to Lawrence Township's concerns and the way it would impact our schools, only one of the three bills and acts would truly be a game changer for us. Act (S-807/A-981). By ending forced placements for teachers and ties tenure to effectiveness of their work. Plus the rewarding of our most wonderful and amazing teachers that has helped in making the students of Lawrence Township one of the best in the State.

Michael Horan (only candidate vying for one unexpired term with one year remaining)

While I do feel that each bill in some respect has merits, my personal priority is finding, employing and keeping top quality educators and administrators, along with ensuring that they perform to the absolute best of their ability throughout their time with the district. This should be a primary goal for our board or any in New Jersey. I do have concerns, however, about systems that rely to a great extent on standardized testing to judge a teacher's performance. There are far too many factors for that to be an absolute measure of effectiveness. Any solution must be comprehensive.

Thomas Patrick (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

I find that the Charter Reform Bill (A-980) could cause considerable damage to Lawrence taxpayers and to the students who attend some of the charter schools. I feel that the defeat of this bill should receive high priority. First of all, every time a Lawrence School District student attends a charter school, we the taxpayers are forced to foot the bill for that student.  It cost taxpayers more to have a student at a charter school than in district.  Once you get past the hype and look at what some of these charter schools have to offer, it is not clear that the charter school students are getting a superior or even comparable educational experience.  Just look at what has been happening around the county with charter schools being force to close by the state.  Out district’s experience has been that students have left charter schools (HSA is ca county “magnet” school) during the academic year and return to the district.  What has happened to these students?  First they have had two disruptions in their lives.  The left a school district in which they had roots and had to start over again.  When they come back during the academic year, these students had to play catch up.  This is not fair to them.  I am not saying that all charter schools are bad.  I am saying let the buyer beware and many times the buyer does not have the skills to adequately evaluate a charter school. 

The creation of more charter schools may be an answer to fixing problems in some school districts but not Lawrence.  Here, charter schools would be a drain on local taxpayers’ money.  This is not the approach I would use to make improvements in Lawrence.  Some may argue that the existence of charter schools will force local districts to “shape up”.  It makes it hard to improve when your funds are being sent elsewhere.

Dolores B. Reid (one of two candidates vying for one unexpired term with two years remaining)

As to the New Jersey Education Bills proposed by Governor Christie I would see as a top priority the School Children First Act as it seems to be the act with the greatest potential to develop and support an excellent teaching staff. School reform has little chance of achieving its promise without attention and efforts directed to developing and maintaining an accomplished and talented teaching staff.  

Kevin Van Hise (one of five candidates vying for three full, three-year terms)

As a top priority for our District, monitoring the progress of the Charter Reform Bill is the most relevant and potentially impactful legislation for the Township.  As an initial matter, having witnessed the achievements of our District’s teachers and schools over the past year, I am confident and expect that Lawrence teachers will excel under any performance based evaluation system and tenure reform program that may result from enactment of the School Children First Act or similar legislation.   With regard to the Opportunity Scholarship Act, although it will provide much needed scholarships for low-income students in the State’s lowest performing school districts, Lawrence Township is not one of the qualifying districts and therefore, the proposed legislation will have little direct impact on the District.

On the other hand, the Charter Reform Bill has the potential to greatly impact the District.  Although school choice is a positive element of the proposed law, enactment of this legislation could have direct and dire consequences for our District.  First, it will serve to divert funding and resources from our existing schools.  Second, it reduces diversity in our schools by removing segments of our student population who seek to collectively fit the specified mold of the charter school.  Third, in addition to the required payments by the District to the charter school, the legislation provides that the District (not the charter school) will also be responsible for transporting the local students to the charter school.  This could have a great impact on the District’s costs as new bus routes would need to be created specifically for the charter school around the charter school’s schedule (not the District’s).  Fourth, the Bill eliminates the requirement that all classroom teachers and professional support staff hold State certification, thereby making the District responsible for payments to the charter school based on its certified staff costs, while reducing the charter school’s costs and devaluing the certification requirements currently imposed by the State.  Lastly, the risk of failure of a charter school will ultimately lie with the local school district -- this stark reality was seen just last summer when the Trenton School District was compelled to find, three months before the start of the school year, space, desks, textbooks, resources and staffing to accommodate approximately 450 students from the abrupt closure of the Trenton Community Charter School.  For these reasons, the merits of such a system are outweighed by the potential detriments to Lawrence Township.