Scotch Plains School Board Election 2022: Nancy Norris Bauer

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — The Scotch Plains-Fanwood School Board election is coming up on Nov. 8, and five candidates are running for three seats on the board.

Two seats are open on the Scotch Plains board, and one seat is open on the Fanwood board for the election this November.

Incumbents Nancy Norris Bauer and Stephanie Suriani are both running for re-election to maintain their current seats on the board. Resident John Greenblatt has also filed to run for the Scotch Plains board.

On Fanwood's board, current member Amy Winkler is running for re-election against newcomer Gary Morris.

Patch asked all the candidates a series of questions ahead of the November election. (All of the candidates were given the same questions).

Here are candidate Bauer's answers below:

Nancy Norris Bauer

Office Sought:

Board of Education representing Scotch Plains

Education:

BS and MS Education Florida State University

Occupation:

Director of Professional Development and School/Community Partnerships,
College of Education, William Paterson University

Family:

Two children who attended SPF schools K-12. Both are attorneys – one an Assistant
United States Attorney and one works for Meta as a privacy compliance manager.

Why did you decide to run for the Board of Education this year?

I am committed to ensuring that our children receive the best education possible in the Scotch Plains Fanwood School District. My expertise is valuable because I work with many school districts in New Jersey and am able to share this knowledge in my BOE work. As the only active educator on the BOE, I bring a unique perspective on areas like personnel, curriculum, and policy especially in light of my work in higher education and teacher preparation.

Have you run for the BOE before?

Yes, I am currently the longest serving SPF BOE member.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

I want to help ensure the short and long-term goals in our strategic plan are realized. The district is engaged in important initiatives related to student success including academics, social emotional-learning, and equity. As a member of both the Curriculum Committee and Student Activities Committee, I am able to review achievement data and extra-curricular offerings and identify opportunities to accelerate student success. Student “voice and choice” in both academic and extra-curricular activities are essential. Additionally, new housing developments pose challenges the BOE will need to navigate. As a member of the Finance Committee, I will continue to act as a steward of the taxpayer’s resources if re-elected.

What do you think is the most important issue facing the district?

Staffing is currently one of the biggest issues. More specifically, recruiting and retaining excellent and diverse staff, teachers, and administrators is an ongoing challenge when fewer people are entering the teaching profession and even bus drivers are hard to find. As chair of the Personnel Committee and Vice-President of the Garden State Coalition of Schools representing SPF, I will continue to focus on this issue as we move forward.

What will you do to ensure students feel safe in school?

I will continue to focus on the whole child when reviewing curriculum, policy and our spending. I know that social emotional learning and support for the unique needs of each student is as essential for student success as academic learning and this is a key component of the new strategic plan.

What is your stance on the new sex education curriculum that has been introduced by the
state?

I am opposed to the continuing mandates the state makes on districts in many areas including curriculum. However, I am pleased with the careful way that our district is considering the implementation of this latest mandate including taking the time for input from parents. I, along with other members of the curriculum committee and the full board, will carefully review the district’s recommendation.

What is something new that you will bring to the Bard in the coming year?

I will bring knowledge of new ways other districts are currently expanding partnerships with community colleges, four year institutions, non-profits and others in order to enhance opportunities and experiences for our students.

Anything else that voters should know about you?

I was a Girl Scout leader in our community for 13 years and I also helped establish the SPF Ice Hockey Association and “pay-to-play” in our district. The latter subsequently enabled the establishment of many other new sports. These, and other community experiences, have reinforced my belief that we live in a very special community committed to our children.