Brian Gallen Seeks Reelection In West Chester SB Region 2

Pennsylvania's Primary Election is May 18. Brian Gallen seeks reelection to his seat on West Chester Area School District's Board of School Directors in Region 2.

He explained why he is running for election.

Brain Gallen

Age: 51

Position Sought: West Chester Area School District, School Director, Region 2

Party Affiliation: While I am a registered Republican, I have cross-filed on both the Democratic and Republican ballots in the Primary, an allowance given to both School Director and Magisterial District Judges, due to the apolitical nature of these posts.

Family: My wife Jill and I have been married for over 28 years and have lived in West Whiteland, home for the past 20. I originally came to the area in 1988 to attend Villanova University and while there, I resided in East Goshen, where my parents still call home. We have two sons that grew up in the WCASD schools, one a 2011 graduate of Henderson and the younger, class of 2018. Both of our sons have benefitted from a quality education within WCASD and as parents, we have been impressed and grateful for the experience that WCASD has provided.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?: My wife Jill has worked for Chester County in the IT department for the last nine years.

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Geography, Villanova University

Occupation: I have more than 28 years of information technology experience, covering many areas, including procurement and budget management, data and application architecture, systems integration, all phases of the software development lifecycle, and project management. I have enjoyed a successful career in the industry working for companies such as DuPont, Pfizer, and most recently Zoetis, the world’s leading animal health company. My current role includes managing global deployments of rebate and accrual programs across 22 international markets, as well as the United States. I am also a member of several IT-related steering committees which help to guide our organization through total cost of ownership analysis, return on investment, process improvements, and system efficiencies.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Currently seated as a WCASD School Director, Region 2

Why are you seeking elective office?: I am running for re-election because I have always believed that a strong community and a strong school district go hand-in-hand and that it is the responsibility of the school board to maintain the highest quality of education in a safe learning environment, all while being fiscally accountable to the taxpayers. This will ensure that tax rates continue to remain low, property values remain strong, and that our students can continue to achieve at the highest level. In my first four years on the board, I was able to work with the administration to finalize multiple budgets within or below the state-mandated Act 1 Index, settle several contract negotiations for support staff, revise the district’s comprehensive plan to ensure fiscal and educational alignment, and complete redistricting in order to balance school populations and improve resource utilization in anticipation of the opening of Greystone Elementary in Fall 2021.

The single most pressing issue facing our school district is: The single most pressing issue facing our district is, of course, COVID-19-related. Back in August of last year, I was the lone board member advocating for an in-person versus virtual return to school. We have lost over a year of in-person learning for the majority of our student population and the academic, social, and emotional impact of remote and hybrid learning is still being assessed and will be for some time. Maintaining in-person learning at our schools while working to overcome the learning loss associated with the pandemic is my number one priority, and now that we are back in the buildings, we need to ensure that we are able to safely keep our kids in the classroom while providing the help they need to close any gaps as a result of being remote.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?: When I ran for school director four years ago, my goal was to expand the opportunities for all students in regards to access and achievement, as well as to protect against out-of-control millage increases for my fellow taxpayers. My first budget vote in 2018 was a ‘No’ because, even though the administration did well to get the expenses under control, they didn’t get the budget down under the Act 1 index, as was my goal, and I felt that they should have been able to.
I am not afraid to voice contrary opinions to the administration and at the same time feel that they appreciate the firm, but fair, pressure that I apply regarding finances.
Since then, the last three budgets have come in under the state-mandated Act 1 Index, and even a 0 percent increase last year.
In that same time, we have been able to expand our support programs for those students that need the most help, revised the district’s comprehensive plan to ensure fiscal and educational alignment, and reinforced equity as (the) lens through which all should be viewed. I am running for re-election to try and further our gains to improve the quality of our academic and support programs that we currently provide to our students while maintaining my fiscal conservatorship for our community.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform: This past year has been a challenging one, especially given the demands placed on the students, their families, and the administration. I, for one, would like to see us as a board and administration expand the path we are on for student equity and achievement and ensure that every decision we make is in the best interest of serving our students and our community. But as this last year has shown, we also need to have the flexibility to adapt when necessary to ensure the success of our students.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?: I would cite my accomplishments over the past four years as School Board Director as evidence that I can handle the job. I have shown that I endorse no administration decision without proper investigation and vetting. My contributions on the Personnel and Property and Finance committees have led to the past three years' budgets under Act 1, all while maintaining the highest level of education possible for our students. I have also been able to provide insightful, albeit sometimes contrary, points of view to the Education and Pupil services committee meetings as well.

The best advice ever shared with me was: A quote from Mahatma Gandhi comes to mind and personifies what I strive for: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?: I believe a responsible school board member serves first the students, but also the taxpaying community. Being able to provide a nationally ranked quality of education and related services to our students, all while keeping the property tax millage rates for West Chester Area School District one of the lowest in Chester County is a driver for me.

Brian Gallen's campaign webpage can be viewed here.

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