Editor’s note: To help voters get to know the candidates for the school board, the Hillsborough Beacon has asked each to submit answers to three questions. This week, we asked what candidates would seek to try and do if elected and what their best idea for helping the schools is. The election for three, three-year seats on the Board of Education will be held April 18.
Question 2: What topic would you focus your energy on as a school board member and what would you hope to accomplish in the next year? Are there committee assignments you would hope to receive if elected? Are there particular areas of concern you would like to address if elected?
Michael Detsis
No response submitted.
William Kole
If elected, I would hope to be on the finance, personnel and curriculum committees.
I hope to redefine priorities so that the board reflects an understanding of educational reality not only for the students, but for the taxpaying public.
Andy Levin
I would focus my energy trying to make Hillsborough schools not only the envy of New Jersey but of the country (maybe the world) by putting us on the cutting edge of technology (while still getting the biggest bang for the buck).
I would couple this with an eye towards getting our expenses reined in.
While I know some expenses are pretty set (salaries, benefits, etc.), we need to look at the entire budget closely to see where we can trim and reallocate funds.
I think we need to stop using last year’s budget as a starting point and simply add on expenses, we need to re-evaluate and use the funds better.
David Lin
I would focus my energy and attention on three areas:
1. Further improve quality of education and standardized test scores. I think this district has done a good job in striving to meet the NCLB requirements, as reflected in the New Jersey School Report Card. But I also believe that we need to continue to focus on areas of improvement. It is very important to ensure that our children are building a strong foundation so they are fully prepared for a good career or college after graduation.
2. Help prioritize school budget. As we have seen in recent weeks, our ability to provide a quality education seemed to be in jeopardy due to the unknown state budget cap figure. With higher cost of living, higher energy prices and uncertain state funding, I am very concerned that we will continue to run into this problem in the future given that we started out with a relatively small budget base.
As such, we must proactively develop a plan to address this challenge. And I can bring my business management, financial and leadership skills to help by assisting in prioritizing initiatives/projects and exploring alternative options and opportunities.
3. Foster a good relationship with key constituents (e.g. parents, community, taxpayers and school administration, etc.) by further enhancing communications so input is taken into consideration and school activities, development and issues are better understood.
As such, my preferred committee assignments would be the Curriculum Committee, Finance Committee and the Communications Committee.
Steve Paget
Education quality: I would strive to continually improve the quality of the education in our schools through recruiting and retaining the best teachers. Our teachers are most important resource as they are on the frontline of education. I would work to choose the best curriculum; analyzing what is working and what isn’t, looking to other districts for has been successful. I would work for a balance between academics, extra curricular activities and sports. Academics are the primary job of the school system however our children also need to develop into healthy, well balanced, responsible citizens.
Budget: My first priority as a school board member is providing the best education possible to the children of the community but we also have a wider community that strains under the burden of taxes and who may not even have children in the system but who none the less pay for their education. I will make certain that when the superintendent says that the budget is absolutely necessary it really passes the test of what is a necessity and what is a luxury. I will ensure the town is getting the most of our education dollar.
Communications: I want to establish a strong two-way communication channels between the board and public such that budgets and issues are better understood by all and less contentious. Communicate to the public the importance of education and the great things that are going on in our schools. Listen to the public to find out their priorities and needs.
Marc Rosenberg
Because I believe a quality education is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children, academic excellence is my number one priority. I recognize the fiscal challenges we face in keeping this promise to our kids, but I am determined to do all I can to preserve educational quality in Hillsborough.
As we spend our resources wisely to provide opportunities for children at all levels of ability to succeed, I will push for the high academic standards that will challenge them every step of the way. In the intermediate and middle schools, our kids need greater emphasis on strong study, research, writing and communications skills so that they will be more successful in high school and beyond. We must also continue to execute our existing plans to infuse the latest technologies into schoolwork, improve our student-to-computer ratio, and invest in more modern learning resources so that our kids can take advantage of a more connected world. I want to encourage the retention of our most outstanding teachers, work hard to recruit the most talented staff we can afford, and support them with improved professional development.
Of course, academics do not exist in isolation. Athletics, fine and performing arts, and extracurricular activities add great value to a well-rounded education. We cannot have everything we want, as fast as we want, but even within our budget constraints, I believe we can maintain, and even carefully grow our exceptional program diversity while continuing to pursue academic excellence.
Question 3: What is the best idea you have heard to improve Hillsborough schools? Please be as specific as possible.
Michael Detsis
No response received.
William Kole
A strategic plan that would call for research based methodologies that are practical and easily delivered in the classroom on a continuum. This plan would call for existing content supervisors and administrators to deliver the training throughout the school year.
Andy Levin
Once again I have to stress technology. I would like to see Hillsborough schools use technology to help everyone by: Automating administrative tasks, opening new vistas for students, and allowing teachers to have more tools at their disposal.
With my computer background I feel I can accomplish these things while reducing the costs (you would be amazed at the amount of free and low-cost computer hardware and software on the Internet).
For example, using free software such as LINUX and OpenOffice partnered with clone computers we can build a state of the art computer for less than $300, a computer that would be better than any you could find from Dell or Gateway.
David Lin
One single issue that’s on the mind of everyone in this community, whether we are parents, school administrators/staff/teachers, and/or taxpayers, is school board’s financials which has a direct impact on our ability to deliver a "thorough and efficient" education to our children.
With my strong business management and financial skills, I would like to work closely with the administration and other board members to ensure that our school budget is being utilized in the most effective and efficient manner while delivering the level of quality education that parents expect and taxpayers demand.
Specifically, I would like to explore the following opportunity areas:
1. Perform periodic examinations of our district’s on-going operation, usage and maintenance of our assets to ensure that they are being utilized optimally and efficiently. Make appropriate recommendations on any changes to improve performance through methods and procedures and/or adoption of new technologies.
2. Explore potential shared services opportunities with the township and neighboring school district(s). Everyone knows that there is a significant benefit in having a larger scale in running any business, but the key is how to create and leverage that scale. In Hillsborough, there have been successful collaborative efforts between the board and the township. I would like to explore and implement any and all those opportunities so we can mitigate continuous pressure on our school budget while being fiscally responsible to the taxpayers.
Steve Paget
I would like to make educa- tion the cornerstone of our community. Our teachers are dedicated, knowledgeable, and motivated to educate our children. Our parents and residents need to feel passionate for a school system which is making the community a better place. I will work towards creating a premier school system that inspires our residents and attracts quality teachers to our town. Education in our town would be something to be proud of rather than just a burden on our tax dollars.
I would like to rally the community behind developing children to their full educational potential. This may include creating opportunities for community groups and associations to be more involved in special events promoting educational development. Schools would not only communicate the goals and curriculum but also solicit feedback from parents on how they can better meet the needs of the children. If teachers, community and parents partner together the children will receive the full benefits of a community dedicated and focused on the betterment of these future citizens.
I have the qualities of hard work, humility, and a sense of humor which can turn limits into possibilities and more importantly, to convince others to see it that way. I look forward to the day when our residents feel that, of all the wonderful qualities of our community, Hillsborough schools are the best and attract admiration from outside community and generate pride from within the community.
Marc Rosenberg
One of the major roles of the Hillsborough Board of Education is to be a conduit between the community and the school district. This relationship has not always been good. A lack of agreement on priorities and goals has sometimes stood in the way of what we all want from our schools, and has led to some unfortunate setbacks over the years.
The best thing we can do now to improve our schools, and the best thing I can do as a school board member, is to build understanding between everyone who has a stake in the success of our schools. In light of current budget challenges, we must be partners, not adversaries, so we can determine together where we want to go, and what it takes to get there.
We’re moving in the right direction, but there’s more to do. Communication and community engagement are essential to creating the right future for our schools. The listserv that delivers important e-mail directly to parents is a great start. More frequent newsletters and a better use of local media are also helping. Updated technology and an improved Web site can make it easier to contact teachers and access important school news. Through more community outreach, we can improve the dialogue with school leaders, enhance clarity around our budget, and build a stronger alliance between parents and the district.
All of this will pay off with greater commitment across Hillsborough to put our kids first and give them the best education possible.

