Election 2025: Bob Hickey For Council Rock School Board

Candidates running in the Nov. 4 general election are providing background about themselves and their positions on the issues to voters in these profiles, which will run in Patch individually for each candidate.

NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP, PA — Two candidates are vying for a six-year term on the Council Rock School Board in Region 3. Voters will decide between incumbent Republican Bob Hickey and his challenger, Democrat Jim Green. Region 3 includes voting districts 1, 11 and 15 in Northampton Township.

Biological Information

Name: Bob Hickey
Age: 67
Town of residence: Richboro
Position sought: School Board Director - Council Rock - Region 3
What Towns Does your Position Cover: Richboro, Holland, Wrightstown
Party Affiliation: Republican
Family: Married (Maureen - 42 yrs), 8 Children (All Council Rock Graduates), 18 Grandchildren
Education: BS - Temple University - Secondary Education - Social Studies
Occupation: Corporate Management

Questions

Why are you running for school board?

Simply said, I absolutely love it …. no matter the responsibility, the hours, the overall demands, I love it! While I looked forward to this new beginning four years ago, I never expected to enjoy this challenging position to the degree that I do. I quickly learned that there is something to be said for having the time necessary to truly immerse oneself in this role and so to wait until my own family was grown proved to be invaluable in that regard.

In addition and most importantly — and like many of you — I have been a parent, resident, and taxpayer in this community for over 30 years. As a husband, father, and now as a grandfather of 18, my head and heart have always been with families. I fully understand the balancing act of raising a family in Council Rock — and the demands placed on parents, grandparents, and taxpayers alike. Raising eight children who attended Council Rock schools for 26 consecutive years has afforded me a unique insight into the Council Rock community, classroom, and culture. This stake in "all things Council Rock" and in our community gave me the opportunity to volunteer over the years with athletic, civic, and religious organizations. Those years provided me with a well-rounded experience of service on many levels and my desire to continue to serve is a reflection of that journey. I feel I have much to offer from these life experiences.

2. If elected, what will your priorities be?

My focus will always be on the approximately 10,500 students in our district. Every decision made has to be with that thought in mind. In addition, though I am elected from a small portion of the district, I am mindful of the fact that I represent, and am accountable to the entire Council Rock community.

3. What do you see as the major issues facing the district and how would you address them?

Providing a first-class education at an affordable price is a priority. Adding to this is the fact we are still recovering from learning loss due to Covid lockdowns before my time on the board. We continue to add staff (especially in Reading and Math), and offer various supports to close this learning gap while keeping taxes low. Our special education population is exploding and meeting their needs is critical. I will continue to listen to and have our administration act upon their very legitimate concerns. I look forward to working with our new Director of Special Services.

Maintaining and replacing facilities puts great strain on an already tight budget. Every dollar we spend on facilities needs to be done with careful deliberation. I believe, with limited exception, that the district has done a very good job of budgeting with capital expenditures. As we face the challenges ahead, we must continue to build within our means and not our wants. A “safe, warm, and dry” approach is necessary in this time of economic uncertainty. As always, how our capital projects are approached and characterized must first be analyzed as to how it benefits our students first. One particular project I am pursuing that would benefit students would be to construct a stadium at Council Rock High School South at an affordable price to all stakeholders. In addition to creating parity within Council Rock this would also create parity within Bucks County as I believe Council Rock South is the only high school without a stadium to call their own.

4. If elected, what would you fight to change, improve, or keep the same?

Change - Continue to advocate for a Council Rock South Stadium.

Improve - One of the larger issues I see not just locally but nationally revolves around the lack of communication or miscommunication between districts and parents. This is particularly witnessed with sensitive materials presented to students as being age appropriate. There are many cases where parents are unaware of what is actually being introduced to their children. Parents should have a greater ability to see in advance what materials are being incorporated into lesson plans and to decide whether their child is ready for this type of instruction. That practice gives the parent greater control over their child's education as well as promoting a spirit of openness and cooperation between all parties concerned - most importantly, the child. We also need better practices to improve communication issues with the transportation of our students. This will alleviate undue stress to parent and child alike.

Keep the same - In looking out for our senior citizens I feel it is important to keep the tax rebates we have in place.