Dear Editor,
I’m running for the Board of Education because I see opportunities to improve student achievement, lower costs, tighten efficiencies, increase accountability and improve outreach. Whether you have children in the school system, like I do, or not, Hoboken can and must do a better job for children, parents and taxpayers.
I believe it’s possible to reduce the cost of schooling our students and increase test scores. Before I committed to my campaign, I sat down with the administration, the union leadership and other Board members to assess the problems, and potential solutions, to the issues that plague us. Those problems are: high per-pupil spending and pockets of unacceptably low test scores. My experiences in business – as both an HR executive and union negotiator – give me the tools needed to tackle many of the district’s most vexing issues.
On the costs front, we need to lower the cost-per-pupil, one of the highest in the state, by both managing down, and then out, unnecessary expenses. At the same time, we need to create an environment within the schools that, based on the performance of the faculty and the students, attracts more students into our district. We need to look seriously at our current programs and ascertain whether we are getting the best returns on our investment. Student achievement is the purpose of the district and a major priority for the Board, and we must ensure that the right resources are available to promote more successful learning for all students.
I intend to work with the Board and administration to look at discretionary spending and diagnostically (not indiscriminately) challenge the purpose and reward of those expenditures. In addition, while we can not elect to forgo mandated expenditures, we can analyze the manner in which they are spent and evaluate if we are taking the best approach, based on measurable results.
We also need to institute a culture of accountability on the Board. While I have been very clear that I will not always vote in a manner in which certain constituencies might prefer – whether it be the superintendent or the unions – I am committed to open dialogue and respectful discourse. But make no mistake, each an every one of us who touch the district in an official capacity must be able to show they are maturely contributing to progress and solutions. Anything less is unacceptable.
Finally, we need more parental involvement – and from segments of our society that don’t typically get a seat at the table. I am committed to making opportunities for district parents to appropriately share their concerns about and demands on the school “system. And we need to start doing a better job of touting what’s great in our schools and highlighting what does work.
Please vote for me on April 21st to bring much needed changes to the Board of Education.
Sincerely,
Anthony Oland