School Board candidates square off during forum

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Three Bloomfield Board of Education incumbents and two challengers met in a debate Monday evening, Oct. 30, at Bloomfield Middle School. The event was sponsored by the Bloomfield Home and School Association and the candidates, after introducing themselves, responded to audience questions.

The incumbents are Emily Smith and Ellen Rogers, the current BOE president and vice-president, respectively, and Michael Heller. The challengers are Thomas Heaney and Jessica Salinas. About 20 people were in the audience and the debate was recorded for transmission on Bloomfield TV.

The candidates were asked what they would do to improve communications and public transparency. The question also noted the controversy of a first-time elected board member whose residency was questioned.

Smith said the member was challenged by a losing candidate in the same election and the board member was vindicated in court. Smith noted a schools superintendent’s column, written by administration staff members, appears in a local newspaper.
Rogers said the BOE is “getting a beating” in social media but its calendar is published in local papers. She agreed that the superintendent’s column should be on the BOE webpage.

Heller said the Bloomfield school district needed a director of communications.
Salinas said there was a need to improve communications with senior citizens in the community.
Heaney said the board should use social media outlets, relevant to students, to reach that audience.

An audience member asked what should be done to bring the curriculum into the 21st century. The question included a concern for a 30-percent deficit in the budget for special education but this was clarified by Smith. She said state funding for special education decreased by 30 percent. Consequently, this “deficit” had to be made up by Bloomfield property owners.

Heaney said the inclusion classes were working. Heller said there would be inclusion classes throughout the district this year. He also wanted a full day of pre-K and programs for non-college students. Salinas said she agreed with Heller. Rogers wanted to have special education partially funded by Medicaid funds. Smith said state special education funding has dwindled.

“I don’t know what the holdup is,” she said. “My goal is to get school districts to work together to get the funding promised.”
Heller thanked Smith for writing a resolution regarding special education funding. He said the Trump administration was proposing legislation that would negatively affect medical benefits for children.

A questioner wanted the candidates to consider a citizens’ advisory committee to work with the BOE.
Heaney said he was willing to have one. Heller said he would want one and that is a part of BOE policy that was never enacted. Rogers said that Heller introduced the idea of having the committee but the board just relaxed and the idea was put aside. Smith said there were mechanisms already in place for public advice but she would support a committee being formed.

The candidates were asked about benchmarks for academic excellence and strategic planning.
Smith said benchmarks were to be discussed at a future BOE meeting and planning was always a question of money. She said she relies on the superintendent to inform the board about these matters and that she knew the dangers of micromanaging.

Heller said “I want to challenge the administration with new ideas. It’s a two-way interaction between the board and administration. I want to see innovations from the administration in addition to stability.”

Salinas said there was a need to keep children up-to-date with technology. Rogers said there have been innovative programs introduced since she was elected three years ago. She said there were more supervisors now and it would be interesting to see what they contribute. Heaney said a benchmark was NJ Monthly which places Bloomfield schools around 200 out of 300 districts. He said high-stakes, standardized tests, although they are stressful, are a benchmark. Heller said high-stakes testing is not going away. He said the tests are not an accurate measurement for the education children receive.

Smith said she was not an advocate for standardized tests but when state administrations change, tests also changed. She said parents should look after how their children are doing in school. Rogers said part of the Bloomfield educational experience is the cultural diversity of the children. She said, “I cherish the diversity of Bloomfield. Different cultures are part of an education.” Salinas said, as a mother of six and speaking from experience, one child may be taking that test but the anxiety affects the entire family. She did not think the tests were necessary. Heaney said high-stakes testing was a reality and a benchmark.

An audience member asked if the candidates represented the community or the school system.
Rogers said she represented both and you could not divide the two since the school system defines the community. Smith said if the board meetings do not attract an audience, it means that the community is satisfied with the work of the board. She said the community has numerous ways of communicating with board members. Heller said he represented the 6,400 children in the school district. It was for them that he took advice and recommendations. Salinas said she was running to represent the children. Heaney, pointing to Heller who sat next to him, said, “In a word, what he said.”

A question was raised about how some schools regularly perform better than others.
Smith said transient students are an issue in performance and not that one group of students is more or less intelligent or different curriculums are employed. Rogers said an effort is made for all the children but there is an economic component between the north and south ends of town. But she said a south-end school, Carteret Elementary, has out performed Oak View Elementary, a north-end school, in testing. Salinas said the programs in all schools should be reviewed. Heller said with the present superintendent, unlike his predecessors, all schools are taught the same. He said standardized report cards are the norm while before schools graded as they wanted. Heaney said he would like to see a program in which Bloomfield High School students mentor elementary school students.

The candidates were asked what would they do to improve reading.
Smith said any recommendation had to come from the administration. Rogers said how to improve student reading was something to look at. Heller said there had to be a conversation between the board and the administration. But, he said, at a National Honor Society induction ceremony, he saw all Bloomfield schools represented. Salinas said she would look into the literacy program. Heaney said he would encourage parents to read with their children at home and come into the schools to read.

“We have to pay attention to the third grade,” he said. “It’s a critical year.”
In their closing remarks, Smith said she would seek funding accountability for special education and quarterly meetings between the BOE and the Bloomfield Township Council. Rogers said she was proud of the district and pointed to a high bond rating, improved school security, and overall facility improvements. Salinas said, “Running for the board is my way of giving back to the community.” She would create programs to attract parents into the schools. Heller said he wanted a strategic plan; a full day of pre-K; and programs for students not planning on college. Heaney said if he were elected, he would serve the full three-year term and that, if elected, Bloomfield students would thrive.

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