Election 2022: Adam Colicchio For Chester Board Of Education

CHESTER, NJ — Candidates are set for the Chester K-8 Board of Education race on the Nov. 8 ballot.

In anticipation, Patch sent questionnaires to each of the candidates vying for the open seats on the Board of Education, asking them to share facts about themselves and why voters should choose them to represent the local school district.

The responses received will get published between now and Election Day.

Here are candidate Adam Colicchio's answers below:

• Name: Adam Colicchio
• Age: 39
• Town of residence: Chester Borough
• Position sought: Chester K-8 Board of Education (3 year term)

• Family: Wife: Andrea; Daugter: Ava; Son: AJ
• Education: Johns Hopkins University: Bachelor of Arts (Economics)
• Occupation: Finance Director, Bristol Myers Squibb
• Previous or current elected appointed office: This will be my first elected appointed office if voted in

Why are you seeking to run for School Board?

I am interested in volunteering my time and experience serving our community, ensuring we strive to provide the best education, safety and well-being for our children. I want to see our children grow to their fullest potential, and for them to see people for who they are, not what they are – I want this for all of Chester’s children. For our children to reach their greatest potential I fully support parental rights – a parent’s involvement in our children’s education is essential and they should have an active role in what is being taught in schools. As a board member, I will ensure we have a collective voice for our children, one that is based in transparency, parental involvement and fiscal responsibility.

COVID-19 resulted in learning loss for many students. What will you do to ensure students bounce back?

I believe this is one of the greatest challenges we face as a district, regarding student achievement as learning loss/regression from the pandemic has impacted many students, both academically and emotionally. The schools have done a great job of providing services in order to bridge the gap (i.e. additional guidance counselors, academic support over the summer, social skills groups).

If elected I would continue to advocate, support and promote the following:

(1) Continual assessment of learning development - this is required as it allows educators to determine specific opportunities relating to intervention or enrichment

(2) Parental participation impacts the success of our children and I would continue to encourage parents to take an active role in their child's learning and reinforce what is being taught at school. A parent’s involvement in their children’s education is critical in order for them to reach their greatest potential

(3) The district should continue to hire quality teachers with experience and knowledge, as this is one of the most important factors bridging the gap from the learning loss during the pandemic and will help increase student achievement

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the school district?

In addition to learning loss and student achievement, I feel additional items our school district can continue to focus on would be the following:

(1) Ensure district funding is being utilized to support, enhance and augment our current educational system. This requires taking a fresh look at the budget to make sure we are being responsible and efficient. There are various projects on the horizon in our schools and it is imperative the board collaborates to balance the spending needs according to what is required and needed, and not because it has always been in the budget. I would work with the current board to identify the most impactful return for our tax dollars while understanding the areas for improvement relating to our children’s educational experience. The budget may need to be re-prioritized; however, this is a discussion that requires multi stakeholder collaboration and would require assessing the value of each line in the budget for discretionary spend.

(2) Transparency & communication: I believe the district and teachers do a good job communicating to our parents. There is always room for improvement to both enhance and make communication more effective, particularly as it relates to some of the new standards and curriculum guidelines. As part of this, I would also encourage parents to bring their questions to teachers and attend board of education meetings if they have specific concerns on anything relating to their children or their education. Both educators and parents are accountable for student success, both academic and emotional. I do believe there are areas for improvement in any district, and a board should always keep transparency and proactive communication as the fundamental building blocks to maintaining parental involvement and enhancing our children's educational experience.

What is your view on the sex education curriculum that Gov. Murphy put forth earlier this year? What is your position on inclusion and diversity? Is the district doing enough? Not enough?

Sex education: I believe the new state curriculum for sex education including the standards and transition steps for children (specifically pertaining to grades K-2 and 2-5) are inappropriate and questionable as it relates to the types of topics that are being introduced at very young ages. I would encourage all parents and educators to review the new standards and bring any questions to the board of education. While many other candidates feel our district should align with the new curriculum the state has set forth and have stated that professionals/educators should choose what is age appropriate for our children, not parents – I fully support the following: decisions regarding our children should be a result of collaboration and transparent communication across all stakeholders, but parents should have the responsibility when it comes to their children, including education, health and well-being, and family morals and values. As new topics are introduced across any educational materials, teachers and the administration should be proactive to inform parents of changes or sensitive materials. I would also encourage parents to bring their questions to teachers and attend board of education meetings if they have specific concerns.

Diversity & Inclusion: I fully support education that advocates and promotes inclusion and diversity. All students should feel comfortable at school. We should value honoring diverse cultures while ensuring we are sharing those experiences with the rest of our school and community. My stance is delivering all education and materials, including diversity & inclusion, in an age and developmentally appropriate manner while ensuring parents are being made aware of the curriculum. As part of this continued effort, our educators do a great job and should continue to reinforce what they are currently teaching including supporting diversity and inclusion, as well as the Social Emotional Learning curriculum. In addition, equal accountability across educators and parents is important in the development of our children as they grow throughout the district. Teaching core values such as kindness, generosity, empathy and standing up for others are a shared responsibility and these critical skills allow our children to be successful.

What special qualifications do you bring to help meet the challenge?

My qualifications and experience in finance would allow me to be a strong asset to the board while representing our community and taxpayer dollars. In my professional career, my experience has focused on leading transparent budget management and resource allocation, while ensuring appropriate levels of compliance and internal controls are maintained. Currently, no other candidates running have my extensive background and experience in finance. This fiscal leadership will be essential to the success of our school district – it is a critical leadership void that we currently do not have on the board today.

The qualifications I would bring do not only include being “fiscally responsible” – that is a common trait that is expected from all candidates and board members. My extensive background in finance has led to proven results and established experience. This has been fueled by a collaborative approach where asking tough questions and influencing sound decision making are the standard. With my experience, I would bring a much needed fresh perspective and new voice to the board, while ensuring we are being responsible and taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely. This leadership is needed to drive financial oversight on budgetary needs to meet the ever changing demands of our schools as well as the challenging economic environment we are encountering, where every dollar we spend matters.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?

I encourage everyone to please visit my facebook page below, which has my platform. I welcome you to contact me for discussions and/or questions. Thank you for your time and I appreciate the opportunity to run for the Chester K-8 School Board – I would be honored to be a voice for our community & children and I appreciate the support and assistance in accomplishing this for Chester!

https://www.facebook.com/Colic...
Email: ColicchioForChesterBOE@gmail.com