Meet Jennifer Solot, Incumbent Seeking Reelection To The Upper Moreland School Board

UPPER MORELAND, PA — As Patch continues its pre-election coverage, take some time to learn about Jennifer Solot, one of the candidates for Upper Moreland School Board.

Read below her responses to a Patch candidate questionnaire.

Age (as of Election Day)

45

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Married with three children, two currently enrolled at UMTSD

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

BS Accounting; MS Taxation

Occupation

24 years in public accounting, approximately 20 years experience working with nonprofits and school districts

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

School Director

Campaign website

https://www.facebook.com/4Uppe...

Why are you seeking elective office?

Almost half of my adult life has been spent focusing on charities and school districts, helping them fulfill their mission and provide valuable services to the community. This is my passion and serving on the Board has been one of the most stressful, and most rewarding experiences of my life. Having spent the last four years on the School Board I fully understand the amount of time and discretion that is required and recognize the complexities of serving during both calm and stressful times. I am committed to representing all voices in my vote and ensuring that our children, their education, their safety and their future, come first.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

While COVID is the knee-jerk response I feel that the most pressing issue facing our District is multifaceted but centers around limited financial resources. PA has put in place many unfunded mandates, which, while important and meaningful, further stress our already tight budgets. To further complicate our finances, the law also restricts the revenue that we can raise. We are unable to raise income tax rates (which would shift the burden from every homeowner to only those who have earned income); unable to invest our funds at more than a meager interest rate; and find ourselves with handfuls of businesses in our Township which are fighting to reduce their share of real estate taxes. PA ranks 45th in the country in terms of how much the state provides for public education. With greater state funding we could increase our ability to communicate, decrease our class sizes, increase our facilities, etc. I have been and will continue to be a vocal advocate for state funding reform to help bring more resources to our District while continuing to monitor and guide our expenses.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

No other person currently on the board or running has the financial experience and expertise that I have. Further, I understand the need to listen, not just to the community but to the other members of the board and administration. I believe that it is the single most important thing any person can do in any situation is to actively listen. Actively listening requires a person to set aside their own personal feelings and thoughts on an item and consider another's view. I have in the past voted in support or against an item as a result of community input and recognize that we rarely, if ever, are able to vote in agreement with the entirety of our community and that as Directors we need to accept this.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

N/A

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Keeping our children in our classrooms and safe is my number one goal. Compromises need to be made in order to do this in such a way that the least number of students are required to quarantine when we do have a positive COVID case. However, I believe that the first weeks of school have shown that our children and our staff have been successful in this as we have had no linked transmission within our buildings. For that, they all deserve our gratitude! Additionally, I am a CPA by trade. And, as such, the financial aspect of our District is something with which I have become intimately familiar. I believe that with proper planning, proper oversight and proper budgeting we will be able to accomplish a great deal, even with the limited support that we receive from the Commonwealth.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

While I believe that my professional experience has qualified me for this position I also believe that my experience on the board over the last four years speaks for itself. While on the board we have successfully returned our children to the classroom, hired a new Superintendent, saved the district hundreds of thousands of dollars by refinancing debt, and preserved North Willow Grove Park. The District has engaged with a consulting firm to review and advise on our District wide communication and we have begun implementing some of those changes with others like a website over hall and District App on the horizon. We are about to embark on our long term planning which is sure to include updates to our facilities to meet the increased population and I hope to suggest long term goals to include such as a District emotional support dog or even developing a Spanish Immersion program at our Elementary School.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

If you're going to do it, do it right. Too often we allow ourselves the wiggle room to do something "good enough." For me, I believe that it is incredibly vital that we commit ourselves fully to our lives, at home, at our jobs and when we volunteer. I am not that person. If I am going to do something, I do it right.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

This is me. I am who you see at these meetings. I am who you see at District functions, like the inflatable bear at the Trunk and Treat. I am approachable and welcome the interaction with everyone. We are all part of this community and my children know your children and will grow with them. Together, we can do it right!