Board of Education Candidate Mitch Slater

Name: Mitchell Slater

Age: 49 and holding!

Address: 561 Tremont Avenue

Length of Time in Town: 19.5 years

Family Life: Married to Leslie Dickstein, Senior Editor at TIME Magazine- Children- Harrison- 17 - Junior at WHS and Georgia, 12- 7th Grader at Roosevelt Intermediate

Education:  Bachelors of Arts in Political Communication from The George Washington University ('82)-  Advanced Financial Executive Education from Wharton School and Stanford University

Professional Life: Senior Vice President, Director of Wealth Management- Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

Community/Political Activities: 

• Creator of Laid Off Camp New Jersey (2009)- Organization dedicated to teaching and training those in career transition and seeking employment
• Musical Director of Washington School Show and former Director of The Tamaques Variety Show
• Westfield Baseball Association (former Travel Coach)
• Westfield Basketball Association (Current Coach)
• Board Member- Jewish Community Housing Corporation

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

1)     The Budget

2)     Communication

3)     Guidance

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

1) The Budget- As everyone knows, Westfield lost about 5% of its budget due to massive state cuts in funding. If certain legislation is passed, this will only get worse as Westfield could be forced to live with a 2.5% tax levy increase going forward. Having just  "rushed to pass" three year agreements to pay 3.9% annual salary increases, the BOE will be forced to cut more staff and/or programs each year.  The budget permeates everything the Board does and can do. It defines the very education we care so deeply about. As a Board member, I will hold the view that I must examine every dollar before presenting a budget to the taxpayers- and I will insist that you, those paying the bill, have an opportunity to do the same.

2) Communication- From my perspective some members of the Board are out of touch with the everyday taxpayer.  We must improve two-way communications between all members of our community and the School Board.  That is why I am proposing an all-volunteer organization called BoardWatch . This group can be made up of different parts of our community and can evaluate the Board on good governance practices. There needs to be more transparency and community participation.  Simple solutions like holding Board Meetings in different locations or using 21st Century Engament Methods like a Board of Education Facebook Page (they do in Princeton and other strong educational communities) will help improve communications within the district.

3)  Guidance- As a Class" A" High School, Westfield High School has an impressive record over the years that we are all very proud of. Most importantly, as a parent of a junior, I have been very impressed by the high quality of the faculty in that building. But with a student population of over 1,800 and soon to be over 2,000, in a few years, it is impossible to believe what has happened to the extremely important Guidance Department.  Something clearly is not right- with three Directors of Guidance in as many years and now no replacement in our new budget- the question must be asked what is going on here!

Guidance issues shape the well being of our children from getting their wooden apple in Kindergarten to getting their college acceptance letters as seniors. In addition to the key role guidance counselors play in class scheduling, assessment and college planning, we need more programs to provide a growing number of students-especially in the younger grades with special needs ranging from broken homes to depression and the ever more prevalent spectrums of childhood disorders. These students need competent counselors with caring attitudes.

The bottom line- is that our current counselors are outstanding and we are cutting them to the bone. That is the wrong thing to do.

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)  

I understand the rationale behind the Governors' proposed amendment. I feel that although it is potentially the right idea, it will be too fast to implement and should have been done over three to four years. In Westfield, particularly, a 2.5% cap will be a nightmare to live with given the contracts we are about to sign with salary increases of 3.9%. It will be a challenge just to handle that aspect of the budget. We need to find ways to be more financially efficient if we hope to be able to fix the states poor spending choices of the last decade.

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

Certain things are known- the expiration of the current teachers contract is June 30th.

Certain things are known- The Governor was giving his Budget Address on March 16th.

There was no reason to do anything before those dates. Plenty of associations operate on expired contracts including the Westfield Secretaries Association this past year. But for some reason for the teachers, this Board felt the need to rush to ratify. This, quite frankly, defies logic.

Our teachers in Westfield are the best out there. I continue to be impressed by the high quality and dedication of my kid's teachers.  The fact of the matter is that the Association should be ashamed for not giving back during this economic crisis. We all must participate in shared sacrifice-. Ask any of our residents who are out of work or had to accept substantial pay cuts or no raises to survive.

I hesitate to think about what a 3.9% salary increase will look like in years two and three of the contract.  I certainly hope the association will consider accepting concessions.  Teachers don't get cut because their contracts aren't fully negotiated.

Unfortunately, this year in Westfield the School Board took the quick path. They negotiated an agreement and then learned all the relevant information and now we are cutting teachers to balance the budget.

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)  

I hope to get a seat on the Board to learn more details about the coming enrollment crisis.  Once privy to the information I will certainly speak about creative solutions.  I do feel that the principles of any issue that comes to me would be:

1) What's in the best interest of the child or children impacted?

2) What, if any, financial considerations are there

3 What have we done in the past and how has it worked

4) What are other towns doing and is it successful.

The Board of Education still has not presented a solution to deal with enrollment changes at Edison Intermediary School for 2011, and the issues caused by last years redistricting. That will now be even more difficult given the economic climate.   

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

As a top ranked Financial Advisor for the past 23 years with emphasis on strategic planning and budgeting I believe my skill set will be extremely helpful given the current economic climate.  My background in Financial Management and guiding people to make sometimes very difficult decisions will be an asset to the current Board.  I also believe my creative, out–of-the-box thinking can help improve the communications gap that exists between the people of Westfield and the School Board.  Most recently, I created a non-profit organization called LaidOffCamp New Jersey to help people that have been recently unemployed or seeking career transitions. By partnering with one of the best Business Coaching and Networking Firms in the state I have been able to make a difference in a great many people's lives and give them hope through the proper skills needed to find a job or change careers.

Most importantly I believe I am a good listener and know that there is no "I" in Team and that it is essential to hear all sides of the equation before rushing to a decision.  I know how to check my ego at the door and truly work towards the end goal of maintaining academic excellence through fiscal responsibility.     

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

In the winter of 1991, my wife and I made one of the best decisions of our lives- deciding to settle in Westfield. We chose this town for a number of reasons but first and foremost we were drawn to Westfield's exceptional school system.

At the time Westfield, like the rest of the nation was in the middle of a difficult recession. But the shining light- then and now – was our school system. It attracted young families to the town, supported the value of our real estate, and brought our community together.

For nearly 20 years, I have watched my kids enjoy the benefits of this town's caring teachers and dedicated administrators. Day in and day out, Westfield's educators strive to find the best in our children, unlocking their potential and preparing them for all the future has to offer. Hiring those educators, motivating them, and creating an environment in which they can teach most effectively are an ongoing challenge. Especially in 2010.

I want to help our community meet that challenge. That's why I am running for a position on the Board of Education. I want to help make a difference in our children's education- and to give back to the school system some of what my family and I have enjoyed since we moved to Westfield.

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)  

Those who know me well know I like to keep busy and that I perform best when handling many challenges.  I have been fortunate to have been my own boss in my Financial Advisory practice and have made it a priority over the years to be an active participant in my kids schooling, sports and extracurricular activities.  I am fortunate to be surrounded by wonderful and caring partners both professionally and personally that both understand and support my own outside activities. I also have a very caring clientele that appreciates my dedication to public service. I can promise that If elected I will not only be a very hard working member of the Board but maintain a strong balance personally and professionally.

I. Are the Westfield public schools better off than where they were three years ago? (Please keep your answer to 250 words)   

I believe it was President Kennedy who said "Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education" That holds very true in Westfield. We have excellent schools today --as we did three years ago-- but the bigger question is where are we going tomorrow.  If we want our kids to compete in the global economy with students from all over the world we need to work together.  We need to be forward looking in order to adapt our educational system to the evolving needs of the economy and the realities of our changing society. Those efforts will require the collaboration of our excellent teachers, parents, School Board, administration and our community.  We need to adopt 21st Technology and Communication.

Ultimately, the Westfield Public Schools need to provide an environment of mutual respect where our children can feel physically, emotionally and intellectually secure and are challenged and motivated to achieve their greatest potential as individuals.

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.