Board of Education Candidate Ginny Leiz

Name:  Ginny Leiz

Age: a gentleman never asks, and a lady never tells

Address: 836 Boulevard

Length of Time in Town: 23 years

Family Life: Married to David, 28 years; Two Children, graduates of Westfield Public Schools:

• Matthew, 26, living and working in Houston Texas
• Christine, 24, living and working in Chicago, Illinois

Education: 

• BS, Math and Secondary Education, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA
• MS Operations Research, Columbia University, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, NY, NY

Professional Life: - Vice President and manager of information technology systems and business systems planning at Manufacturers' Hanover Trust Co., NYC money center bank; Systems Analyst at NYC Transportation company - total 18 years

Independent consultant - office management - 3 years

Business Department adjunct lecturer at NYC college - 5 years

Community/Political Activities:

•   Westfield Public Schools – participated in Citizens' Advisory Committee on High School Enrollment (2000); the group recommended the construction of the state of the art science wing at the high school, renovation of many existing art and multi-use classrooms, and the construction of the Girls' Field House at Kehler Stadium

•   Westfield Service League

•   Presbyterian Church of Westfield – Presbyterian Women's Association, Youth Commission

•   Westfield Rake and Hoe Garden Club

•   PTO officer at Westfield High School

•   Junior Women's Club of Westfield.

Board of Education Experience:

-9 year member (2001-present) of Westfield Board of Education. President 2008-present; Vice President 2005-2008; Current memer of Policy and Long Range Planning committees, and Board/Staff committee; Chair of Board/Town Liaison committee;

-Former member and chair of each standing Board committee (Finance, Curriculum, Policy, Facilities, and Long Range Planning) former member of ad hoc committees (Community Outreach Committee, and Technology Committee);  

-Current Board Liaison to:  the Westfield Recreation Commission; the Westfield Parent Teacher Council (PTC); the PTO Presidents' Group; McKinley Elementary School; 

-Current Board Liaison to the Tri-County Boards for Quality Education - a group of Board of Ed Presidents and members representing 11 districts in Union, Essex and Morris Counties with similar demographics.  The group shares information about best practices in Board governance, policies, practices and procedures, discusses budget strategies and interprets the impact of legislative initiatives.

- Board Liaison to Citizens' Advisory Committee on Equity in Athletics (2002) which evaluated gender accessibility to athletic teams based on Title IX standards and recommended full Board funding of high school Girls' Lacrosse teams.

- Former Board Liaison to Tamaques and Jefferson Elementary Schools, Edison Intermediate School and Westfield High School

- Member of each Board Negotiating team for all current association contracts (teachers, administrators and supervisors, secretaries, paraprofessionals, custodians);

Contact Information: 908-789-9650

A. What do you think are the three biggest issues facing the Westfield public schools in this election? (Please list the issues) –

1. The enrollment growth (bubble) at the high school.

2. Future budget planning with 99+% reliance on local property taxes
3. Renewed emphasis on community engagement

B. Please explain your positions on these issues? (Please keep your answers to 175 words per issue)

1. The enrollment growth (bubble) at the high school.  The addition of 21 classrooms for the 2003/4 school year, and subsequent renovated classrooms has comfortably accommodated a growing high school student enrollment, to date.  The challenge will be to continue to provide a personally meaningful high school experience as the population increases and peaks at 2100 in the 2017-18 school year.  The district must start to address the impact of the enrollment bubble at the high school to sufficiently prepare for the future arrival of these students.  A larger high school population will have an impact on the school climate; more students are likely to find fewer opportunities to feel comfortable in a large setting.  Key areas to address include the increased competition for course selection, placement on school athletic teams and participation in fine arts performances.  It is acknowledged that students learn best in smaller group settings.   How will the high school evolve and organize itself to meet this challenge?  The high school must review course offerings to assess what courses must be in place to meet future needs.  A larger population of high school students will likely require the support of small learning groups, a broader selection of practical arts elective courses, more extra and co-curricular opportunities, and a broader range of emotional support resources for students identified as being at risk.  In addition, many students will likely benefit from a broad-based mentoring program, now narrowly focused on a small student population as an intervention support tool.  The district must be able to ensure that each student receives an appropriate educational program, as well as the necessary tools, resources, opportunities and focused attention needed to succeed.

2. Future budget planning with 99+% reliance on local property taxes. As an efficiently run school district with lower than state average per pupil costs and higher than state average achievement test scores, Westfield has sustained a 90+% cut in state aid – a loss of $4.2 million,  The Westfield school district now relies on local property taxes for 99+% of its funding.  The new teachers' contract and the district's energy education program will contribute much to help control future health care and energy cost drivers, but special education costs, mandated pension payments and other insurance costs  - FICA, unemployment, workers' comp, property and liability - will continue to drive the cost of future budgets.  The unfunded extraordinary costs of special education must be challenged.  Mandated services must be funded.  Cuts in state aid and decreased revenues must be countered by finding more efficient ways to educate our students.  The funding situation is changing daily – tools are being added to the tool kit, without a clear understanding of the construction plan.  The cost and value of all programs and practices must be assessed and scrutinized.  Seeking alternative sources of revenue must become a mandatory activity.  The continuing fiscal crisis and the complexity of school funding issues, requires the district to take extraordinary steps to communicate the budget pressures to the taxpayers.  A community partnership is the only way to sustain the valued programs and services that are at the core of the tradition of excellence that characterizes a Westfield education. 

3. Renewed emphasis on community engagement.   The Board of Education needs to do a better job of engaging the community in supporting the public schools.  Board meetings are poorly attended except for the student, parent or taxpayer who attends to argue a point or criticize a program.  The Board is aware that strengthened school –community relations would benefit all aspects of the district's programs, including the probability of passing the annual school budget.  There are a number of activities that could be done to support this goal: involve identified community civic leaders in on-going roundtable discussions of district goals and priorities; hold parent forums on topics of interest – e.g. parenting skills, high school guidance and counseling priorities; encourage continued parent involvement at elementary schools; develop strategies to promote heightened parent involvement at intermediate and high school levels by scheduling interesting focused parent academies and relevant topic forums; open the schools to celebrate student achievement based on student participation in special events and demonstrations; e.g. author's night; technology fair, science fair, high school senior students' projects; explore ways to broaden the use of TV36 to increase community awareness of school district goals, plans and programs.

C. What is your position on Gov. Chris Christie's proposed constitutional amendment to implement a 2.5% cap on property tax increases? What impact would this impact have on the Westfield public schools? (Please keep your answer to 300 words)

New Jersey is in a fiscal crisis.  As a taxpayer, I would support a 2.5% cap on property tax increase.  However, as a member of the Board of Education, I could not support the amendment unless public school funding is restored to at least the 2009-10 level, and preferably, unless the school funding formula is rewritten to more equitably support suburban school districts.  In a state where the average school district receives 41% of its budget from state aid, it is outrageous to return less than 1% of a budget in state aid.

The impact of a constitutional amendment to implement a 2.5% cap would be devastating to the Westfield public schools.  An aggressive program of budget cuts would be required that would weaken the very fabric of a Westfield education. 

D. What is your position on the recently ratified contract with the Westfield Education Association?  (Please keep your answer to 300 words)

The teachers' contract was a good business decision for the Board and the taxpayers.  The Board's primary goal to reduce/contain future health care costs was accomplished.  All employees were removed from the indemnity plan.  Doctor and prescription co-pays were increased and every teacher will contribute to the premium.  Starting salaries are flat for 3 years and stipends are flat for year 1, increasing 2% in year 2 and 3.  In year 1, the budget-to-budget contract effective cost is 0.8%.  The district saves $1.3 million in health costs in each of the next 3 years based on this contract and other recent settlements.  The timing of contract ratification and approval, allows the district to also receive $525,000 (1.5% of salary) as contribution to health costs.  In exchange for changing health plans and other cost concessions, the teachers' association negotiated a 3-year 3.9% salary increase.  Had the Board delayed contract approval until after the loss of $4.2 million in state aid, there is little chance the Board would have received the major health cost concessions, especially the individual contribution to premium (over and above the state mandated 1.5% of salary contribution,) because of the timing of that legislation.  Additionally, the budget would have been built on proposed, not actual salaries and benefits, resulting in at minimum a need to cut another $1 million in jobs and program, (the cost savings realized from the reduced negotiated health costs.)

E. How do you propose the Westfield public schools face the increased enrollment projections at the same time as decreasing revenues from state aid and potential caps on property tax increases? (Please keep your answer to 300 words)

The increased enrollment projections are not a "net" population increase but rather an enrollment bubble.  Although the Board does not yet have current data on birth rates, indications are that the pre-school population is no higher than, and in some cases, lower than, recent class cohort sizes.  In addition, there is no 'trend' information about the effect of school population based on new occupancy in larger housing created to replace smaller 'tear downs.'

An enrollment bubble, however, will move through the intermediate and high schools.  In 2011-12, the bubble will enter Edison Intermediate School and remain through 2014-15.  The bubble will arrive at the high school in 2014-2015 when enrollment will top 2000.  In 2017-18 the high school will exceed 2100.

Under the threat of decreasing state aid revenues and lowered caps on property taxes, funding an enrollment bubble is less worrisome than funding increased enrollment, but it will be problematic.  Where possible, a class cohort will 'bring' teacher positions with it from the elementary to intermediate school, when the size of the class that follows them, has fewer sections.  To the extent possible, this would be the ideal situation.  However, because $4.2 million was cut in state aid for 2010-11, those positions may have already been eliminated. 

The scenario gets complicated in 2014-15 when the bubble arrives at the high school but still has one more year before it leaves Edison.  At this time there will be increased competition for one or more an 'extra' teaching positions.  The bubble remains at the high school through 2017-18, the final year for which we have actual data.

Funding the 7-year enrollment bubble from 2011-12 through 2017-18 will be a challenge.  It is possible that the current $448,000 in state aid, could be eliminated in the future.  In addition, a 2 ½% cap on property taxes would have a severe effect on the district's ability to pay for the appropriate number of teachers to support the enrollment bubble.  The district will not face this challenge until September 2011. By then, the Governor and legislature may have given school boards real tools to manage their budgets, including the power to renegotiate contracts to change disadvantageous terms that were negotiated in good faith prior to more restrictive budget or funding mandates.

In addition, the district will need to become more aggressive in using alternate sources of revenue including corporate and individual naming rights.  The Education Fund may benefit from initiating an Endowment Fund campaign to secure enough funds to annually offset critical school operating budget requirements.  And finally, at the very least, the state and federal government must be forced to fund current unfunded but mandated programs, such as providing out of district placements for special needs students.

F.  What skills do you bring to this position? (Please keep your answer to 250 words)

Based on my 9 years on the school board, I understand school funding, operating budgets and education cost drivers.  I know school operations, education policy, curriculum standards, and program mandates.  I am an active listener, a clear and creative thinker, and a thoughtful analyst.  I have strong interpersonal skills and I am an excellent communicator.  My passion for education, experience, leadership, and my deep understanding of the school district are the driving forces behind my continued interest in serving on the Westfield school board.  These characteristics uniquely qualify me as a valuable candidate for re-election.

I am an empty nester.  This keeps me clearly focused on the cost of education and its impact on local property taxes.  I have accepted the challenges of these times.  My understanding of school programs and services, as well as budgeting, have been key to helping the district find the right balance between preserving the essential elements of a Westfield education while managing its cost.  Retaining this perspective on the Board of Education will continue to serve Westfield well in the future.

Although we now face many challenges, the Westfield schools must maintain a diversity of programs and continue to set high standards of excellence.  It is inevitable that difficult decisions will need to be made, but I am committed to seeking new and creative ways to address these issues, demonstrating prudent fiscal spending while seeking new sources of funding.

I am dedicated to meeting these challenges using my historic knowledge of the school district, my understanding of school funding, budgeting and operations, creative thinking and fresh ideas, and my analytical and problem solving skills.  During these uncertain and rapidly changing times, the Westfield Board of Education will need creative, dependable, and fiscally responsible leadership with a successful track record to carry on its tradition of excellence in education

G.  Why are you running for the Board of Education? (Please keep your answer to 250 words)

I have a passion for education and for the children of Westfield.  Having chaired every Board committee - Policy, Finance, Facilities, Curriculum, and Long Range Planning – I have considerable Board experience and institutional knowledge of the Westfield schools.  I have been President for the past 3 years and was Vice President for the 3 years prior.  Under my leadership, the Board and Town Council have re-initiated a successful partnership of collaboration.  On-going talks between municipal and school leaders continue to highlight opportunities for shared services and partnered initiatives – opportunities that will benefit all Westfield taxpayers.  I want to continue to contribute to Westfield by being a part of these important conversations.

My understanding of how the school district works and my Board experience are key factors in my ability to assist the district in meeting its current and future goals.  Having participated in the Strategic Plan of 2003, I know how important the result can be to the district.  I know I can make a valuable contribution to developing the current strategic plan through y continued participation on the Board of Education,  My experience and understanding of school operations, programs and procedures can be a key contribution to the successful outcome of developing this strategic plan.  I want to be at the table when the district's future goals and action plans are discussed and formulated.

All public school districts are facing unprecedented times - drastic cuts in state aid, calls for staff wage freezes, demands for capping future budget increases at 2.5%.  I bring a keen understanding of school funding and operating budgets, education cost drivers, school operations, education policy, curriculum and program mandates, and Westfield's community values to the school board.  I understand the strengths and accomplishments of our school district, as well as the critical issues that face public schools, in general and the Westfield school district and Westfield children, in particular.  I want to continue to put these skills to work to serve my community as a member of the Westfield Board of Education.

H.   How do you intend on balancing the responsibilities of elected office with your personal and professional obligations? (Please keep your answer to 250 words)

      I do not expect any difference from the last 9 years of my tenure on the Board.

I. Are the Westfield public schools better off than where they were three years ago?

(Please keep your answer to 250 words)

Yes and No.

YES:

Class of 2009 exceeded prior 3 years of SAT average scores in each category: Math:598/ Critical Reading:569/ Writing: 573

      The Energy Education Project has saved the district over $942,000 since (7/2007.)

      The Board hired Dr. Dolan as Superintendent (8/2007.)

      The Board hired Barbara Ball as Human Resource Specialist (7/2007)

      The Board hired Doug Layman as EIS Ass't Principal (10/2007)

      The Board hired David Heller as Franklin Ass't Principal (10/2007)

   The Board hired Peter Renwick as WHS Principal (8/2008.)

      The Westfield Early Childhood Learning Center at Lincoln School opened (9/2008.)

      Implemented an Emergency Communications System (9/2008.)

      Leaps and Bounds II (Pre-K) opened (9/2009)

      The intermediate enrollment has been balanced through a redistricting plan. (9/2009)

      New website home page logo/layout and navigation processing (9/2009)

      Community Survey says 95%  rated the schools 'excellent to good' (12/2009)

Coalition for the Arts, Boosters , teachers and community members volunteer to fund and supervise student activities whose stipends were cut in the 2009-10 budget

      Piloted an Outdoor Advertising Revenue Program with the Boosters' Club (4/2010)

NO:

      The Westfield Public Schools Director of Guidance position is currently unfilled.

      $4.2 million in state aid was cut from the 2010-2011 school budget.

      The 2010-11 school budget includes cuts of over 30 teachers.

      The 2009-10 school budget lost over $196,000 in state aid.

      The 2009-10 school budget cut 24 teachers and 41 stipends.

On balance, although state aid funding has been all but totally withheld from the Westfield Public Schools, based on this cursory assessment, it appears that the Westfield public schools are indeed better off than they were three years ago!

Editor's Note: These questions were provided to all four candidates for the Board of Education and these answers are in their own words. Space limits were provided on each question. Editing was done for grammar and style but not substance. These questions and answers are provided to allow you the voter to hear directly from the candidates on the key issues impacting the public schools.