To help voters get to know the candidates, the Hillsborough Beacon asked each to submit answers to three questions. This year, three incumbent members of the board Judy Haas, Ed Plaskon and Steve Sloan are vying for re-election for new three-year terms, facing challengers Frank Blandino, John Donnadio and Gregory Gillette on April 17.
Answers are listed in the order received.
Biographical information
Ed Plaskon: I have lived in Hillsborough for 22 years, Lori and I have three children: a daughter, Allie, who is attending the University of West Virginia; and two sons Chris a senior at Hillsborough High School and Sean, a third-grader at Woods Rood School.
I have a bachelor’s degree from Villanova University in mathematics and computer science and a MBA in management from Fairleigh Dickinson University. I have been employed at AT&T for the past 26 years and currently have the role of program director for call center solutions.
I have been on the Hillsborough Board of Education for 12 years and I would like to thank the voters of Hillsborough for putting their trust in me for the past 12 years. I currently serve as board president, and I have served several years as vice president. I have chaired the Finance and Facilities committees and have served on the negotiations, Long Range Planning, Fnance, Facilities and Communication committees. I have been on the District Technology Steering Committee and have been involved in coaching youth sports, flag football, CYM basketball and baseball.
I am asking the voters of Hillsborough to support my candidacy because I have been an effective member of the board. My skills include honesty, a strong work ethic, strategic and tactical planning skills, approaching the decision making process in an unbiased manner, ability to compromise, being a good listener and thinking outside of "the box" to develop new solutions.
Steve Sloan: I have lived in Hillsborough Township for 22 years. I am married to Pam and have two daughters who attend Hillsborough High School. I practice law for a law firm with offices located in New Brunswick and Plainsboro. I have been a member of the Board of Education since May 2000. I have served on all eight standing committees. Currently, I serve as chairman of the Finance Committee, liaison to the Township Committee and representative to State Assembly District 16 for the NJSBA Legislative Committee. I believe in providing an excellent educational experience at a reasonable price and strongly believe that the board has been successful in that endeavor. My volunteer and community activities are as follows: 1995-Introduced HHS Mock Trial Team to Hillsborough and became the first attorney advisor for six seasons winning two County Championships with Robert Fenster. 1996 Member of Ad Hoc Committee on Facilities Referendum; HHS Science/Technology wing and Auten Road; 1996 Founding member of the Hillsborough Education Foundation and corresponding secretary for six years; 1996 Hillsborough Recreation Youth soccer coach for six years; 1997 Hillsborough Recreation Girls Softball coach; 1998 Sunnymead HSA vice president for two years; 1998 member of Ad Hoc Committee on Redistricting; 1999 member of Ad Hoc Committee on Facilities Referendum-HMS Remodel, HHS 700/800 Art Wing, and Auten Road Addition; 2000 appointed to the Board of Education to complete unexpired term. Elected twice since then.
In 2000 and 2003, I served on the District Strategic Planning Committee to help develop goals, objectives and action plans for long-term planning. In 2001 and 2004, I served on the Ad Hoc Committee on Athletics Strategic Plan, and I’ve been a member of the Hillsborough High School Band Parents Association since 2004, and was appointed by the New Jersey School Boards Association as District 16 Alternate Representative to the NJSBA State Legislative Committee providing policy direction to our statewide representatives in 2006.
Gregory Gillette: Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., I am a lifelong New Jersey resident, and have lived in Hillsborough 14 years. I majored in music at New York University, and worked 18 years for Six Flags, Inc. While there, I wrote and produced a live children’s educational show, which I presented more than 1,000 times at New Jersey schools between 1989 and 1999. My wife and I have been married 17 years, and we have two children. My daughter is 7 years old and is in second-grade at Woodfern School. My son just turned 5, and is in a special education program at Woods Road School.
Seven years ago, when my daughter was just a toddler, my wife and I decided that I should leave my job to become a full-time stay-at-home dad. This turned out to be a great decision for us, because when my son was diagnosed with autism in 2003, it meant that he had someone to care for him all the time, take him to therapy, and work with him at home.
Now that my children are both in school for a full day, I have begun to concentrate more on community service. I currently serve on the Hillsborough Township Historic Preservation Commission, as well as the Cultural and Arts Commission. My wife and I volunteer for the national charity Autism Speaks. And I am co-leader of my daughter’s Girl Scout troop.
My next goal is to serve the people of Hillsborough on the Board of Education.
John Donnadio: I have lived in Hillsborough for over eight years with my patient and supportive wife, Chantal. We have been married for 14 years and have five beautiful children together: Alexandra, Jack, Anthony, Nicholas and Luke.
Over the years, I have made it a point to be actively involved in this community and dedicate a significant amount of my time to run the recreation-wrestling program; coach softball and soccer; and serve on the Hillsborough Recreation Commission, which does a fantastic job in providing residents with a wide variety of activities to enjoy. I have also had the opportunity to teach life skills in the classroom through the tireless efforts of the Home and School Association.
I have always had a passion for education and spent over a decade as the director of an innovative school transition to employment program for special education students in Jersey City while attending law school in the evening. Since that time, I have gained valuable experience in terms of advocating for legislative and regulatory initiatives as a successful public affairs executive. With this in mind, I am confident that my leadership ability, community service, and extensive work experience make me an ideal candidate for the Hillsborough Board of Education.
Judy Haas: I am the only wife, mom, step-mom, mother-in-law, and grandmother on the Board of Education. My husband, Lloyd, taught science in the Bridgewater-Raritan schools for over 34 years before recently retiring. Our son, Lenny, is a junior at Hillsborough High School, and serves as a volunteer EMT with the Hillsborough Rescue Squad. My stepsons, Marc and David, graduated from Hillsborough High School and have been very successful in college and beyond. They are both married, and Marc has three adorable children.
I was born and raised in New York, and earned a BA in political science and communications from Queens College and a master’s degree in public administration from St. John’s University. I spent 18 years as an administrator, public policy advisor, and community relations expert in New York City government. After my son was born, I gave up my paid employment for the more important jobs of full-time mom, class parent, HSA and advisory committee member, life skills presenter, and coach of baseball, basketball, and soccer. I served as Hillsborough’s township administrator from 2001 to 2004.
I have been a Board of Education member since my election in 2004 and now serve as the board’s vice president. I have chaired the Communications Committee, and served on the finance, curriculum, and personnel committees. I have just received a Certificated Board Member award from the New Jersye School Boards Association, in recognition of all of the courses I have taken in school board governance. I look forward to continuing to serve if re-elected on April 17th.
Frank Blandino: I was born April 24, 1967 in Brooklyn, N.Y. My parents are A. Joseph and Angela Blandino, and I have two brothers Dominick (Hillsborough Class of ’88) and Richard (Hillsborough Class of ’94). I have an 11-year-old son, Andrew J. Blandino.
I have lived in Hillsborough since 1978, and I am a product of our school system and community. I attended the Hillsborough School (6th grade), the Middle School (grades 7-9), and graduated with honors from Hillsborough High School in 1985. While at Hillsborough High, I played varsity football and baseball, and was named captain of both teams.
Academically, I graduated eighth in my class while being named vice president of the National Honor Society and actively participating in our class cabinet. I was the first Hillsborough High graduate to be accepted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and I graduated from Lafayette College in 1989 with a BA in Business and Economics, and minor in Government and Law. After working on Wall Street for AIG for two years, I attended New York Law School where I served as Notes and Comments Editor of the NYLS Journal of Human Rights and president of the NYLS Trial Lawyers Association (1993 and 1994). I am currently admitted to the New Jersey State and Federal Bars (December, 1994) and New York State and Federal Bars (January, 1995), and I have a local law practice. I also have served as the Hillsborough Municipal Prosecutor from January 2003 to the present.
My community activities include, but are not limited to: Somerset Valley YMCA board of directors, 2006 through present; Hillsborough Rotary Club member, 2005 through present; chairman, Membership Committee; Hillsborough Economic and Development Committee, member; Lafayette College Alumni Admissions Representative responsible for Hillsborough High School; Little League baseball coach and football coach.
Since 1978, I have experienced numerous changes in the socioeconomic and demographic climates and the overall landscape of our community. While our township and its constituents have vastly changed, I believe our commitment to excellence in education must remain constant. As a member of the HBOE, I would like to play a part in ensuring that the current and future youth of Hillsborough Township can experience a high level of education in a safe environment.
At the same time, I would try to ensure that the HBOE maximizes the funds that actually reach our students while stabilizing overall budget spending.
Further, I would like to help enable the HBOE to open and maintain the lines and means of communication with its constituents.
2. Which of these two factors would you consider more important is selecting a new superintendent: experience or the willingness to make a long-term commitment to the district?
Ed Plaskon: Hillsborough is one of the largest non-urban school districts in the state and the superintendent who is the CEO (chief education officer) of the district must have a variety of skills, including: experience as a superintendent or an assistant superintendent, energy, enthusiasm, strong communication skills, problem solving skills, out of the box thinking, a strong educational background, experience in administration, a financial background, good people skills and a skilled fundraiser in the private sector.
I want it all, so I would want an individual with the skills that I identified, 20 25 years of experience, and who would be part of the Hillsborough community as the superintendent for the next 20 25 years. Unfortunately, that is probably not possible. To use a sports reference, if a candidate had the experience of a Joe Torre or a Bill Parcells and they were available I would recommend hiring them in a heartbeat over someone who lacked the experience because experience does make a big difference. Being a board member for the past 12 years, I am aware of the complexities and difficulties in running a school district with 7,700 students and would not want an individual to gain their experience through on the job training in Hillsborough. Our students and staff are too important to let that happen.
We need a superintendent who can step in on day 1 and be effective.
Steve Sloan: The input criteria that the board has received both in 2004 and in 2007 on the qualities and skills in our next superintendent have provided valuable information. All of our stakeholder groups are looking for a dynamic educational leader who has the ability to move our district forward in all areas.
The individual needs to have excellent interpersonal skills, work well with all constituents in a collaborative fashion and show that they value staff, appreciate their dedication and hard work and build morale. The next superintendent must not just look at it as just a job but be totally dedicated to the Hillsborough School District and the 7,700 students, 1,000 employees and numerous stakeholder groups to which they will be accountable.
There will be a need to transition and the district would benefit from my experience having gone through such a transition before. The continuity of having experienced school board members, proven leaders with a combined 22 years of school board training and experience will be invaluable. With negotiations and strategic planning due to begin soon, now is not the time to make changes on the board of education.
I am in favor of opening up the process and making it as transparent as possible so as to involve as many stakeholders as possible in the search for our next educational leader.
The contract cannot be less than three years or more than five years in duration. As a member of the superintendent search committee for the chief school administrator position, I would want to know right from the outset if the candidate was looking to use Hillsborough as a "stepping stone" or a "transition" point to another phase in their career or to retirement. The dedication of the individual to the Hillsborough district will be demonstrated in part by their longevity, not their level of experience.
Gregory Gillette: I need to answer this question by first saying that both experience and commitment are very desirable and not necessarily mutually exclusive. Therefore, the ideal candidate would possess both.
Over the past three weeks I have spoken with many dozens of Hillsborough residents. From these many conversations it is clear that people reject the notion that we must choose between commitment and experience. Many people have asked me why we can’t have an experienced superintendent who is also willing to make a long-term commitment to Hillsborough. People have also told me that they feel the current superintendent is someone who had already made their reputation somewhere else someone who was out of gas and ready to coast. This time they want someone who is ready to make a statement here, someone with ideas and vision. I agree with the good people of Hillsborough we need a leader who is committed to Hillsborough first, wants to make their reputation here, and has the experience to lead our district.
I am committed to a very open and transparent interview process. I fully support participation by the public, teachers, and support personnel in the search process and in the final decision.
John Donnadio: The next superintendent of schools should be a proven leader with a well thought out vision and total commitment to Hillsborough. Importantly, the entire board of education should be actively engaged in making a decision of this magnitude and choosing the right person to lead our schools.
This person should have the ability to clearly articulate and execute a five-year strategic plan on how to turn Hillsborough into an excellent school district. This vision and plan should contain measurable goals and objectives that champion excellent academics, outstanding athletics, and superb extra-curricula activities.
However, it is imperative that this plan deliver these fundamental services in a cost effective manner by eliminating unnecessary waste and sharing resources more efficiently.
On a personal level, the next superintendent should lead by example and inspire those around him to excel. This person should have outstanding communication skills and become a visible presence in the community. Perhaps most importantly, the next superintendent should pay close attention to the concerns and suggestions of teachers and parents, but have the character and fortitude to make tough decisions both independently and honestly.
Judy Haas: Albert Einstein said that "the only source of knowledge is experience." I agree, and believe that experience is the more important factor. A superintendent candidate may be highly educated and naturally talented, but their experience is their true learning opportunity.
Experience is what helps people process information into its real world relevance. It gives people the deep, genuine understanding that comes from learning from mistakes and successes. Good experience does not necessarily require a long amount of time, just a wide range.
I would prefer a new superintendent who comes to Hillsborough with the benefit of having dealt with all kinds of challenges, someone who knows what works and what does not, someone who can lead us to new heights because they have done that and been there. I would want a superintendent who can hit the ground running and do their best for our kids from their first day and every day thereafter.
The truth about an up-front long-term commitment is that an employer really can’t demand it or control it, because no one knows what life might bring. Besides, what would be the purpose of having an up-front long-term commitment from someone who turns out to be a bad superintendent? Other school districts have paid dearly for such commitments.
Additionally, school law limits superintendent contracts to a term of not less than three nor more than five years.
The best kind of long term commitment is the one that emerges from a successful relationship between a superintendent and a satisfied board, staff, student body, and community, over a period of time and from good mutual experiences.
Frank Blandino: In choosing a new superintendent, the new board cannot sacrifice one factor over another.
Whether its experience or commitment, the new super, the CEO of our school district, must contain the whole package. The ideal candidate must be experienced and committed to our district.
This person must share the vision of our board and its constituents. In choosing any candidate for such a lofty position, experience is a given.
But, while no one person can be forced to stay at a job, a commitment to excellence in education and the willingness to carry out the board’s and the people of Hillsborough’s educational policies and goals are both mandatory and non-negotiable.
3. What area would you focus on if elected to improve Hillsborough schools and what would you do to achieve that goal?
Ed Plaskon: We have to raise the bar for our students so that they can compete against students from Bridgewater, Montgomery and other schools throughout the county, state and country in SAT scores, college admissions and jobs. The following would help achieve that goal:
Retention of staff Recognizing the value of an experienced staff and providing the necessary incentives to retain existing staff and attract excellent teachers to Hillsborough is critical. Education is people resource intensive and the teachers, principals and staff are the most important aspect of making our students successful. Although there is a lot of discussion about the search process for the new superintendent, most students or parents probably have little or no contact with the superintendent. It is the teachers and principals who have direct contact with the students and make a difference everyday.
Improving curriculum Watching open heart surgery through a video conference, and being able to ask the surgeon questions. This is something that sounds futuristic, but a number of science classes at Hillsborough High School have experienced that this year. The addition of a robotics curriculum, and offering classes using video conferencing technology (i.e. AP courses, advanced world language courses, even introductory college courses) that otherwise might not be offered because of low class size are some items that are being considered for the High School. The second year of the five-year curriculum plan is currently being implemented with targets to improve test scores at all levels throughout the district.
Steve Sloan: If there is an area where I feel we have fallen short, it is in the area of strategic planning. We should reconvene all of the stakeholder groups in Hillsborough to participate in this worthwhile endeavor. Long-term strategic planning is productive as it gives our district the ability to plan accordingly for the future, build trust and morale with our students, teachers and support staff and develop a strong cohesive administrative team to develop action plans tailored toward retaining good teachers, upgrade school programming and increase student achievement.
Completing a thoughtful long-term strategic plan for the next five years should be the goal of the board and the administration for the next year. I have participated in the planning sessions and focus groups on these plans in 2001 and in 2004 and will put in the time in 2007-08 to build a new plan.
Being the stewards of public funds, our long-term strategic plans are developed using measurable criteria and tailored with the view that we have limited public funds to achieve these goals.
The 2007-08 school budget has increased by only 1.7 percent, the tax rate is up by only 2.76 percent and you will receive either a credit or a rebate off your tax bill. Our administrative costs per student continue to be among the lowest statewide compared to similar districts.
Our goals and objectives for the next five years will need to be structured so that we can maximize the use of our scarce resources through shared services and cooperative purchasing.
Recently, Trenton has decided that there must be new accountability measures put into place that will make us need to function in a much more transparent environment. The Executive County Superintendent and new laws regarding contracts and budgets are just some of the areas that our strategic planning committee of dedicated stakeholders will need to focus on as we move the Hillsborough School District forward over the next five years.
Gregory Gillette: At the Candidates’ Night, I had the opportunity to speak about three topics that I have put in front of the voters this year: A better and more open superintendent search involving the public, promoting efficient spending through the use of cooperative purchasing and shared services agreements, and improving safety and security by eliminating drugs and violence at the middle school and high school.
I’d like to take this opportunity to say something about academics. I’m sure most of you know that Montgomery scores better than Hillsborough on the SAT. In fact, average scores are 150 points better for Montgomery. What some of you might not know is that Hillsborough ranks sixth out of the eleven schools in Somerset County in SAT scores. Statistically, we are truly an average school district with regards to SAT score.
To conquer this problem, we need to find out what the other schools are doing right, and model this in our district. I have visited literally hundreds of school districts in New Jersey, from large city districts like Newark and Camden, to tiny districts in Cumberland and Salem Counties where there are some schools that still have more than one grade level in the same classroom. What I have learned from these visits is that there are school districts out there just like ours, going through the same problems we are, finding answers, and succeeding.
This is one area where copying your neighbor’s answer is okay, and it is what we must do to succeed.
John Donnadio: I would undertake a comprehensive analysis on the types of shared services or interlocal service agreements that the district has in place with the intent of saving important taxpayer dollars. As has been well documented, effectively sharing services and resources empowers local governments to deliver essential services in a more cost effective manner.
Although I would initially focus on cooperative purchasing and sharing public works equipment, information technology, and certain personnel, I would also visit excellent school districts throughout the region to study their curriculum. In fact, I would strongly recommend that Hillsborough incorporate into its curriculum successful programs and initiatives of neighboring communities that consistently rank among the best in the nation.
As previously noted, I would make it a priority to be actively involved in the new superintendent search to ensure that Hillsborough residents hire an effective leader who takes the initiative and strives for excellence. I would also work closely with our municipal prosecutor and police department to maintain the safety and security of our schools. Finally, I would communicate on a regular basis with teachers and parents on how to make our very good school system and excellent one.
Judy Haas: In order to provide all of our children with the highest quality education necessary for their future success, board members must understand, focus on, and commit untiring efforts toward continually improving every part of the school experience. This includes:
obtaining excellent educational leadership;
recruiting and retaining the best teachers and providing professional development, support, supplies, equipment, resources, and recognition;
having an interesting, up-to- date curriculum that enables all children to achieve all that they are capable of achieving;
providing appropriate budgets;
assuring that our facilities are clean, safe, and secure;
improving communication with all of our constituents;
developing lawful policies which reflect the will of our community; and
creating a strategic plan to guide our district forward.
What I would do is exactly what I have done for the past three years continue to educate myself on every issue, work real hard, and always put the kids first. While our search for a new superintendent is our most pressing immediate issue, our teachers and curriculum are the heart and soul of our district. I expect that we will continue to enhance our curriculum, improve student achievement at all levels, and prepare all of our kids for the new challenges of life in a global and increasingly technological economy. We must update our thinking about what kids need to learn, and how they can learn best. We also need to advance all of our kids’ exposure to science, technology, international cultures and languages, and creative, interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving, collaboration and innovation.
Frank Blandino: In order for our youth to experience a high level of education, the HBOE must first replace and transition a new superintendent of schools the leader of the school district.
Hopefully, I will have the ability to take part in choosing a leader whose decisions will directly and substantially impact our district for many years.
Once a new leader is in place, I hope to work with the superintendent and other board members to better secure our school facilities and free them from drugs. I would try and enact a "no tolerance" policy to the greatest extent allowable by law in order to accomplish this goal.
I hope to help minimize the tax burden on our community by promoting efficient spending and the reduction of waste, and seeking more state aid and possible alternative funding sources.
By soliciting the input and assistance from the people of our district in all areas of concern, as member of the HBOE, I hope to begin the process of returning Hillsborough’s school system to its place as a superior district in the state of New Jersey.