The League of Women Voters asked the three candidates running for the Monroe Board of Education several questions. The candidates incumbent school board members Joe Homoki, Kathy Kolupanowich and Kathy Leonard offered the following response. All are running unopposed.
Joe Homoki
Why are you running for election to the board?
There are a number of reasons why I am running for the board and some are listed below.
1. I believe in public education and I believe as you do that our township, our state and, yes, our country will be shaped by the type of education we provide on the local level.
2. I am now retired and have the time and interest with 36 years of educational experiences behind me that I believe will greatly benefit the children, the board and the citizens of Monroe.
3. I am sensitive to the cost of educating children. Many people in Monroe are retired and on fixed income. Also, young families are struggling to make ends meet. But, they both want to make sure that their tax dollars are judiciously spent.
4. Because Monroe is a desirable place to live it will continue to grow and with this growth our student population will continue to increase. This growth will have to be addressed now.
5. Finally, I am running because of the children, to provide for their educational needs while delicately balancing needs with what we can afford.
What have your major contributions been to the board over the last three years?
When I was elected President of the board I shared with the board my vision for the year that included three major elements.
1. To hire a highly qualified superintendent as soon as possible with the understanding that even with the best scenario it will take six months to accomplish this task. I took the lead role in this search process.
2. To improve the board’s image and address the morale problem in the district. I made board meetings more people friendly, established open dialogue with staff and introduced a recognition program for students who made presentations to the board.
3. To address the student population growth by hiring a demographer who gave us valuable data on expected student population growth. As a consequence of this, the Citizens Ad Hoc Committee was formed to advise the board on future construction needs.
With student projections on the increase and the need for future additional school space, what solutions can you offer to ease the problem and continue to maintain a quality learning environment?
By far the most challenging issue facing the board is the growth of our student population. It is a challenge because it requires that additional school space be provided which translates into bond referendums and taxpayers’ monies. I am conscious of the hardship this creates for some people but the responsibility that we have as board members is to provide quality learning opportunities for our students. We had a demographic study done and formed a twenty-five member citizens committee to give the board guidance as to which way to go. Their recommendation was unanimously accepted by the board that called for the building of a new high school and converting the Applegarth School to an elementary school and making the "old high school" a grade six, seven and eight middle school.
I support this direction because it will solve space problems for at least the next 10 years and it will provide excellent educational facilities for all students at all levels and maintain the quality education that every child deserves.
Kathy Kolupanowich
Why are you running for election to the board? What have your major contributions been to the board over the last three years?
1. I have been a resident of Monroe Township for the past 16 years and have raised three children through the Monroe Township school system. I have been very active in the schools for the past 15 years having been the past president of the Barclay Brook/Brookside PTA, the past vice president of the Applegarth PTO, and the current vice president of the Monroe Township High School PTO. Through PTO, I have sat on many different committees including Budget Advisory, District Council, Parent Advisory Council, Teacher Recognition Committee, and support many school activities such as cheerleading, music parents, and booster club. My husband and I sponsor a township little league team.
On the Board of Education during the past three years, I have participated on the following committees Community Relations, Curriculum, Finance/Buildings and Grounds, Personnel/Negotiations, Transportation, and have been the BOE representative to the Municipal Recreation Advisory Board for the past two years.
My role as a board member is to help develop, monitor, and evaluate the policies which guide the operation of the school system. I have been involved in the successful search and appointment of the current school superintendent and three school principals. I have been instrumental in opening up a line of communication between the MTEA and the Board of Education. I have promoted the building of a new high school and sat on a committee reviewing education specifications for that building.
With student projections on the increase and the need for future additional school space, what solutions can you offer to ease the problem and continue to maintain a quality learning environment?
With student enrollment projections expected to increase dramatically in the next few years, the most important need for the Board of Education is to educate the community on the importance of passing the upcoming referendum for a new high school in September.
Our elementary schools are already at capacity, and it is an especially critical situation at the middle school level, which is already at capacity. Building a new high school and making our current high school a 6-8 middle school will free up classroom space in all of our elementary schools. This is something that absolutely needs to be done, and the longer it gets put off, the more it will cost all of us in the long run.
In the meantime, we need to be creative in our use of available space and in scheduling class time as to not disrupt the educational climate of our students.
This is a very exciting time in Monroe Township, which already boasts two Blue Ribbon Schools and one New Jersey Star School. The Board of Education will be making some tough decisions in the next few years, and I look forward to continuing in my position as a member of the Board of Education to help make those tough decisions.
Kathy Leonard
Why are you running for election to the board? What have your major contributions been to the board over the last three years?
I’m married and have two children in Monroe schools. I received a B.A. in Education from Brooklyn College and taught before my children were born. My desire to be a stay-at-home mom and my interest in quality education first led me to serve on the school board and is the impetus behind my desire to continue. I’m finishing my sixth year on the board. I have served on all board committees except one. I serve on the executive boards of the High School and Woodland/Mill Lake PTO’s; I’m president of MT SEPA and a member of the League of Women Voters. I have attended numerous workshops and have attained the rank of master boardsperson. I’m the first Monroe Township board member to achieve this rank.
With student projections on the increase and the need for future additional school space, what solutions can you offer to ease the problem and continue to maintain a quality learning environment?
The solution to overcrowding is to build more classroom space. That’s the easy part. The hard part is funding. The state had offered to fund up to 40 percent of the costs, but the state deficit money probably won’t be available. The legislature could help by passing the Senior Stabilization Act, by reintroducing a bill to require developers to put aside monies dedicated to building new schools and change the method used to fund schools. The community will end up bearing the costs through increased property taxes. One thing the community can do is attend the Master Plan meetings. We should insist that no changes be made that would result in increased non-age restricted housing.
