Candidates for Jamesburg school board express opinions, positions.
By: Bill Greenwood
JAMESBURG Candidates for school board say this year’s budget is a good one, and should be supported because it carries no tax hike.
Voters will get to pick four candidates to serve on the school board incumbents Thomas Bodall, Patrice Faraone and Michael Tehan for three three-year seats, and Ted Somers for a one-year term.
Mr. Somers is seeking to fill the unexpired one-year term of former board member Frank Tarulli, who resigned Feb. 9. School elections are April 17.
In addition to supporting the budget, candidates also have some ideas on how to improve standardized test scores and the search for a new superintendent.
The proposed budget would keep the tax rate the same at $2.73 per $100 of assessed valuation. Under that rate, the owner of a house assessed at the borough average of $123,319 would pay about $3,367 in school taxes.
The $11.26 million budget up about $390,000, or 3.59 percent would raise $6.59 million from taxes, $6.38 million of which must be approved by voters. The remaining $211,947 is for debt service.
The spending increase is being offset by a $193,816 increase in formula and kindergarten aid from the state, bringing the total aid to $4.45 million. The district also would use an additional $94,267 from its free balance, a total of $220,991.
According to state School Report Cards issued in February, Jamesburg students are less likely than students elsewhere in the state to score at proficient or advanced levels on state tests.
Thomas Bodall
Thomas Bodall, who has served on the board since 1992, said he supports the proposed budget.
"It’s a zero (tax) increase from last year, and we maintain what we have, the current programs," he said.
Mr. Bodall, of East Church Street, said the board has been working hard to analyze and improve standardized test scores.
Programs like the Reading Recovery program, which is designed to sharpen reading and retention skills, have been implemented to try to improve results, he said. He also said the district has increased contact between at-risk students and remedial teachers, who are helping them score at or above the state average.
Mr. Bodall, a technician at Foley Power Systems in Piscataway, said he is looking for a superintendent with good leadership skills and good ideas for how to improve test scores. He also said he or she should be able to work well with district staff "in improving the good program we have now."
Patrice Faraone
Patrice Faraone, who has served on the board since 1995, said she supports the district’s proposed budget. She said supporting the budget should be a "no-brainer" because it does not contain a tax increase.
However, she said she would like to see more extracurricular and arts programs added to the budget in the future.
Ms. Faraone, of Cedar Lane, said she does not feel standardized test scores are a good judge for district students. She said one or two students performing poorly can throw off Jamesburg’s percentages because there are so few students in the district. She also said children could be having a bad day when the test is given and added that the state changes the tests every year, throwing students off.
However, she said the Board of Education is asking superintendent candidates what they would do to address the testing issue.
"They all have great ideas, so whoever they pick I hope we will be able to implement that," she said.
Ms. Faraone said she wants a new superintendent who is well-versed in education, administration and community. She said whoever is picked to succeed current Superintendent Shirley Bzdewka also should be able to maintain the district’s tight relationship with the Monroe Board of Education.
"I am very happy with the candidates that we’ve had up to this point," she said.
Ted Somers
Ted Somers, of Pergola Avenue, said he supports the proposed budget. He said it would provide more funding for programs in the school while keeping the tax rate the same.
Mr. Somers, an environmental consultant for Somers Design in Princeton, said standardized tests do not capture the true performance of the district’s students, since a poor grade from one student can drag the entire district down because of its small size.
"It’s a percentage game," he said.
However, he said he would work with faculty members, board members and the new superintendent to come up with ways to fix the problem.
Mr. Somers said he has not been involved with the search for a new superintendent, since he is the only nonincumbent running for a seat, but said he has confidence in the current board’s ability to choose a the right person.
He said he would like the new superintendent to be attuned to the needs of a small community and be able to discipline students appropriately.
"The new superintendent will be a real asset to the community," he said.

