Meet Tatiana Geller, Running For Secaucus School Board

SECAUCUS, NJ — Seven people are running for Secaucus school board this fall; voters will be asked to choose three.

Patch asked all seven candidates the same set of questions, and all seven responded. We are publishing the candidates' answers in the order they were received.

Can you give a brief bio on who you are: How long you've lived in Secaucus, your career experience, where you currently work, your age.

I have been a resident of Secaucus for 24 years. I raised my kids in Secaucus. Both of my children attended Secaucus public schools kindergarten through 8th grade. (Her son then went to St. Peter’s Prep as a Sheehan Scholar.) My son, Maxim, graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2023 and currently resides and works in Washington DC. My daughter, Maya, graduated from High Tech High School in 2024 and currently is a freshman at Yale.

I hold a Bachelor’s of Arts degree with honors in psychology and a Master’s of Science degree in speech and language pathology. For the past 12 years I have been working as a speech and language pathologist at the Jersey City Public Schools. I have a strong understanding of policy and procedures in special education. As a school-based clinician, I have strong analytical, organizational and communication skills. I am an outside-of-the-box thinker and problem solver.

I believe my journey as a parent and my professional experiences allow me to understand the needs of a school district at the student, parent and educator levels.

Do you have kids or had kids in the Secaucus school system? Have you served on any prior school boards, or worked in education?

This is my first run for a public office. I do not have any political aspirations or personal agenda. I am running because Secaucus has been good to me and my family. Now it’s the time for me to give back to this community. I am here to listen, research and use my experiences as an educator and a parent to move our school district forward!

What do you think have been the biggest mistakes or failures made in the past four years on the Secaucus school board/in the district? How would you have done things differently?

The biggest issues facing the district are securing a competent and visionary superintendent, special education issues and retention of personnel (teachers and aids).

If redistricting is again brought up (a proposal last year to put K-2 in Clarendon, and 3-5 in Huber), how would you vote for it? Yay or nay?

If redistricting or any other major change will be brought up, I will analyze relevant data (financial components, student numbers, personnel, parental output), examine consequences it might bring to our town, look at the case studies on the similar changes in other districts before making my decision.

Where are Secaucus schools doing well? Where can they be improved?

I believe every student in Secaucus, from students in gifted and talented programs to special education, should be challenged academically and socially during school hours, as well as during Beyond the Bell activities to achieve their maximum potential. The Secaucus High School STEM Academy has been a success story, however, not every student is a STEM kid. I am proposing to expand magnet programs and research opportunities for opening a Humanities Academy at a high school level.

Special education is facing a number of challenges. We are still missing the head of the Special Ed. department. The district needs to be in compliance with all the IEP mandates. Developing special-education programs that address the needs of the kids who require more support and allow them to thrive is the key.

Communication between the districts and parents could be better. I believe in a continuous and transparent dialogue with Secaucus parents prior to making any major decisions regarding their children’s education.

More support for our teachers is needed. I believe Secaucus’ talented and dedicated teachers deserve to have the materials, facilities, leadership and support to successfully educate our students.

Editor's note: Geller, her running mate Gerald "Gerry" Lyons and Melissa Howard were the three candidates endorsed by Mayor Mike Gonnelli. Gonnelli said he chose Geller because of her experience working with special-education students.

Who's running for Secaucus school board this year:

• Melissa Howard - "Advocate for Education." Currently on the Board, seeks re-election.
• Audry Yule - "Community Winning Resolutions"
• Valerie Giraldo - "Community Winning Resolutions"
• Tatiana Geller - "Excellence in Education"
• Gerald Lyons - "Excellence in Education"
• Jamie Fisher - "The People's Voice"
• Monica Berckes - "A Winning District"

The election will be Nov. 5, but you can vote early in person at the Secaucus Rec Center from Oct. 26 - Nov. 3. Hours will be Monday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. and Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. No appointment is necessary, according to the state of NJ Division of Elections. And there is also mail-in voting.

There is a candidates' forum scheduled for Oct. 24 at the high school PAC, moderated by Secaucus Spectator publisher Don Evanson.

Meet Monica Berckes, Running For Secaucus School Board