Priorities & Proposals

With a new superintendent, a new Business Administrator, and an $18 million budget deficit, our district is at a critical crossroads. I am running for the Board of Education to work with our community and stakeholders to navigate these challenges and create Stronger Schools Now.

The recently discovered $18M budget deficit is unacceptable. It never should have happened, and we’ll need to put new guard rails in place that ensure this never happens again. In the meantime, lots of cuts will need to be made and I believe that Montclair would benefit from having my voice on the Board. It will be a voice that listens to the community. I won’t ask for your input on a survey and then vote against the large majority, like when 77% of survey respondents voted for a School Holiday Calendar and were ignored by members of the current board. I will be a leader who listens, and votes accordingly.

My priority is to bring fiscal responsibility to our $170M budget, of which 80% comes from Montclair property taxes.

The urgent priority must be getting the budget under control. If elected as a BOE Member, my top priorities for our district will be:

• Ensure Fiscal Responsibility – The urgent priority must be to fix the Budget without sacrificing students. I’ll fight for the responsible, transparent budgeting that protects classrooms and ensures every dollar supports learning.
  • Immediate Action: We need to get a Corrective Action Plan together so we can pay our teachers, then conduct a Forensic Audit. 
  • Foundation for the Future: We need to closely monitor the repairing of our school buildings and grounds with the Bond Referendum.
    
• Put Students at the Center – Bring the focus back to the students. I will make every decision with the students in mind. Equity is more than just a slogan, it should be a reality in our town. This includes focusing on the achievement gap, special education and investing in and supporting our teachers who are the foundation of student success.
  • Address the Achievement Gap: Black and Hispanic students see disproportionately lower test scores and GPAs for Math and ELA, disproportionately lower enrollment in higher level classes in High School and a disproportionately higher rate of suspensions than their white classmates. This needs to be corrected. The BOE needs to work with the HS and support them in proactively identifying underserved students with potential to enroll in higher level HS classes, ensuring less time is spent out of the learning environment with suspensions, and ensuring there is more communication with caregivers for intentional academic planning during critical transition years.
    
• Build Community Transparency & Communication – The district needs to find better ways to respond to questions and utilize a variety of platforms to increase the reach across Montclair. It’s clear that the community wants to be involved and informed and have their voices taken into account.
  • Listen and Lead: The recent School Holiday Calendar survey that went to parents for their input but then was seemingly ignored is just one example of broken community partnership and transparency on decision making. I feel the same frustration that many others feel: our voices aren’t being listened to, considered or respected. I want to change this, I will be a leader that listens. We need to put the voices of the community at the core of our decisions as these decisions impact them directly.  
  • Citizen Advisory Committee – I believe in the active involvement and participation of the community in advancing the philosophy, mission and goals of the district. Other NJ towns have created an Ad-Hoc Citizen Advisory Committee where residents with specific expertise can lend their talents without the cost to the district. While this approach should not be relied upon for long-term assistance, it can be extremely helpful with acute, specific challenges that the district faces. For instance, I’ve heard a former federal agent offer to conduct a Forensic Audit on our district budget, and a journalist offered to prepare a one-page summary or a slide deck with a clear update on the Bond Referendum. The collective wisdom of Montclair residents is incredible and could be better utilized.

I welcome you to be part of the team by clicking the CONTACT ME link to order a yard sign, host a Meet & Greet, volunteer with the campaign, or to just ask a question. Let’s get started!