HOPEWELL VALLEY: School board hopefuls talk about issues

Discussion centered on how to provide top-quality education while keeping costs to taxpayers as low as possible

By John Tredrea, Staff Writer
   The dominant theme of questions asked of school board candidates Tuesday was how to provide a top-quality education while keeping costs to taxpayers as low as possible.
   Five candidates spoke to and interacted with 13 people — among them Hopewell Township Mayor Vanessa Sandom, township school board members Judy Lindenberger and Aaron Tellier, school board President Mel Myers of Hopewell Borough and township Youth Advisory Board mentor Kim Bruno — who attended the Hopewell Valley League of Women Voters’ School Board Candidates Forum Tuesday night.
   The event was held in the brightly lit television studio of Hopewell Valley Central High School.
   There are four candidates for two Hopewell Township seats on the nine-seat regional board. They are Laura Desai, of Federal City Road; Brian McHugh, of Masters Way; Leigh Ann Peterson, of Maple Lane; and Lisa Wolff, of West Shore Drive. Ms. Peterson is the only incumbent. She and Ms. Wolff are running as a team.
   Running unopposed for Pennington’s one seat on the school board is incumbent Daniel O’Connor, of East Welling Avenue.
   Hopewell Borough’s one seat on the board is not being contested in the school election.
   Voters also will cast ballots on the proposed 2009-10 budget, which was the topic of a public hearing Wednesday after press time.
   At the forum, candidates gave brief opening and closing statements and answered questions submitted to them anonymously in writing by members of the audience. The questions were read aloud by a League moderator. Candidates took turns, on a rotating basis, being the first to answer.
   The five candidates gave similar answers as to why they are running for the board.
   ”I’m committed to seeing our students well-served,” said Mr. O’Connor. “I value community involvement. We currently have a very good group on the board.”
   Ms. Desai, a teacher in the Hamilton school district, noted she has lived in the Hopewell Valley area all her life and has been an active member of St. James Church in Pennington as has Mr. O’Connor.
   ”I like to be involved to the community and give back to the community,” she said.
   Dr. McHugh, a chemical engineer who ran unsuccessfully for the board last year, said he thinks “the board and administration can work together.”
   He said that, particularly in the area of technology, he is well-suited “to help make a good program” for the district’s students while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
   Ms. Peterson, who works in the finance industry, is a lifelong Mercer County resident who has lived in Hopewell Township for four years.
   ”Balancing the desire to maintain educational program with fiscal responsibility” is the key challenge facing board members now, she said.
   Ms. Wolff, a businesswoman who has worked for both nonprofit and profit-making enterprises, stressed the district needs to find alternative sources of funding in order to keep a strong program without increasing the burden on local taxpayers.
   ”I’ve worked with companies large and small” and have been “a rainmaker (someone who brings in significant amounts of money)” for all of them, she said.
   One of the questions required candidates to state what their top-priority methods would be for promoting excellent schools cost-effectively.
   ”As a teacher, I can see what the needs are,” said Ms. Desai.
   She said it is sometimes possible to address cost problems by reallocating money a district already has rather than generating new revenue.
   ”We need a bigger emphasis on planning,” said Dr. McHugh, who said significant “cost efficiencies in technology are possible. We have to look for better ways to involve members of the community” with technological expertise.
   A regular attendee of school board meetings for many months, Dr. McHugh has made similar statements to the board many times during the public hearing portions of board meetings.
   Efficient use of funds is always a key issue, Ms. Peterson said.
   ”I don’t think we’re anywhere near the point of cutting program . . . our motivated teachers are a real asset here,” she said.
   She said the proposed budget for 2009-10 includes a 15 percent across-the-board reduction in operating expenses. As other school official have indicated, she said it would be difficult, and probably impossible, to implement a reduction of that magnitude again next year.
   Ms. Wolff said it was vital to maintain the district’s excellent program, and it must be done increasingly via use of revenue sources other than local property taxes. Grants from the state and federal government, corporations and nonprofits can be the sources of such revenue, she said.
   She noted one nonprofit, the Hopewell Valley Education Foundation, has been very generous to the district.
   Asked what the district should do to keep Scholastic Aptitude Test scores high relative to other districts, Dr. McHugh said “course descriptions” should say how those courses satisfy “a strategic plan.” Committees of educators and residents should be formed “to do an analysis of the curriculum,” he said.
   Ms. Peterson said, “An overall program evaluation is needed on a rolling five-year basis.”
   Students should be included in those talks as well as educators and residents, she said.
   Ms. Wolff said “involving students and staff and parents in a study of the curriculum and how the curriculum and SAT scores are released” is the way to go.
   Mr. O’Connor agreed this is an important issue and said the board must stay on top of it. He said he thinks the Valley’s “curriculum is adequate,” and he’s “skeptical that our SAT scores are really falling behind” similar districts to a significant degree.
   Ms. Desai noted that, at the Hamilton school where she teaches, she “serves on a committee that reviews (standardized) test scores. I think we have a strong curriculum” here in Hopewell Valley.
   ”There are always areas with room for improvement” one should try to address, she added.
   Asked how board members should help Thomas A. Smith, who will come on board June 1 as the district’s new superintendent, Ms. Wolf replied, “We need to listen to him and allow him to help us. He comes to us from an excellent school district (West Windsor-Plainsboro). We’ll set goals (as a board), and he’ll help us execute them.”
   Mr. O’Connor said, “We need to trust and help him. I think he’ll make a terrific superintendent. We need to convey to him our enthusiasm for the district. We expect him to hit the ground running and do great things. He’ll need a lot of support and encouragement.”
   Ms. Desai said of Dr. Smith, “He brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm. He needs to know he’s being supported and listened to.”
   Said Dr. McHugh, “Dr. Smith seems like a very nice guy, and he says he’s willing to work with the community” and indicated the board should help him do that.
   Ms. Peterson said, “I agree with Lisa (Ms. Wolff). We need to listen to him. We share many goals with West Windsor-Plainsboro. He stood head and shoulders above the other candidates” for the superintendency.
   Those who did not attend Tuesday’s forum will be able to view it at home. The program is being televised on Channel 19 throughout the Valley for Comcast viewers and on Channel 32 for Verizon customers until the day before the school board election (April 21).
   For the daily broadcast schedule, log on to http://www.hvrsd.org. Under “links” on the right side of the home page, select, “HV-TV Channels 19/32”.
   The League reminds registered voters April 14 is the deadline for mailed absentee ballot applications to be received by the Mercer County clerk in Trenton. The deadline for applying for an absentee ballot in person at the county clerk’s office is April 20 at 3 p.m.
   Voter information is available at 800-792-VOTE or www.lwvnj.org.