School Board Candidates: Meet Laurie Lachs

Welcome to East Brunswick Patch’s 2011 School Board Election Coverage. Each day this week we will present information on one of four candidates seeking a three-year seat on the school board.

School elections will be held Wednesday, April 27. On the ballot for school board will be incumbents Laurie Lachs, Todd Simmens and , who are seeking re-election, and , who is hoping to win a seat for the first time.

Voters also will get their say on the district’s $128 million spending plan that calls for eliminating 25 full time teachers.

The budget carries a $108,924,563 school tax levy and calls for a school tax rate increase of 9.88 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. That means the owner of a home assessed at $100,000 can expect to pay $98.80 more in school taxes next year. For a video of recent school budget presentations, click here.  For more information on the budget, visit the school district's budget information page, here. 

Today we visit with Laurie Lachs.

Lachs is a lifelong resident of East Brunswick and graduate of Muhlenberg College. She was appointed to fill the remainder of an unexpired term last year and is seeking her first full three-year term on the board.

1. What are the biggest issues the school board is facing over the next three years?  How to you think the board has handled similar problems in the past?

Today, school districts are faced with critical challenges.  It is increasingly difficult to develop a budget with the recent trend of decreasing state aid.  The budget and its impact on the operation of the district and the taxes of East Brunswick’s residents is the biggest issue.  As a school board, we have worked tirelessly to find new ways to save money and build efficiencies into the budget without impacting the quality of the education.  It is imperative that we do everything possible to assure that East Brunswick remains an affordable community where families can give their children, not just an education, but a superior education.

Due to this reduction in state aid, we unfortunately have seen substantial losses of staff and programs.  Clearly, we have tried to avoid these losses.  However, reduced state aid creates a domino effect.  I believe that as a school board, we have to be diligent in finding ways to make sure that this will not impact our students.   Class size is a priority as well as obsolete classroom technology.  These must be addressed before they become insurmountable issues.  Now is the time to think ahead!

2. How can the board balance decreases in revenue with maintaining a high quality education for students?

I believe our school board is fiscally responsible and always strives to create the best value for our township.  We continually look inward, reinventing ourselves and creating cost savings and efficiencies.  The difficult aspect of this issue is the tough and costly decisions that divide many residents.  Ultimately, this balancing act is the responsibility of the board to make decisions not necessarily based on short term thinking but the long term needs of our township.  The needs of the next generation must be the true goal for fiscal responsibility.

We must strike a balance between a great education, which everyone expects and deserves from our school system, and making sure that everyone can still afford to live in East Brunswick.  This must be a priority.

Regardless of a residents’ family status, (school children, planning a family, single or empty nesters), most agree a major component of their home’s value and the community’s reputation is closely linked to the quality of the public school system.  Complicating that issue is the diverse range of demographics (seniors living on fixed incomes, young upper middle class households, blue collar households and affluent households) of any high quality school system in the state.  That being said, it is important to understand that the term “fiscal responsibility” has a very different meaning in many of the township’s households.  That is why I believe fiscal responsibility is as much of a perception issue as it is the fiduciary and moral responsibility of board members.

To make the perception of “fiscal responsibility” a reality it is imperative that an ongoing dialogue is established with each of these constituencies.  Their concerns must be heard so we can inform and educate residents that their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent wisely and maximized to the fullest extent.

Yes, these are tough times.  We need to look more closely at where our resources are going and constantly evaluate our priorities; seeing where we have to push those priorities.  I would also like to explore more grant writing and maximize the use of our current textbooks and technology.  As a board, we have strived to reach out to our township government to work together on cooperative cost saving measures. We all need to unite-parents, teachers, administrators and school board members.  Caring, motivation and the pursuit of excellence don’t cost a dime.

Reductions in state aid has been an unfortunate trend over the past few years. Districts throughout the state are struggling to maintain staff and programs in the face of such cuts.  We are no different in East Brunswick.  It has been a challenge and a disappointment to see the cuts in staff and programs.  We have and will continue to work diligently to maintain the integrity of this district.  Not just focusing on what we are losing, but cherishing what we can maintain.

As a district, we strive to maintain the quality educational system that people have come to expect from East Brunswick while battling the impact of fewer dollars with which we are expected to do more.

3. This year’s school budget calls for cutting an additional 25 teachers.  Last year’s spending plan meant a reduction of 99 school district employees.  The question is, is there a point when laying teachers off is no longer an option?  Will there be a moment when you feel “enough is enough”?

I wish that we were presenting a budget without loss of jobs.  I wish that we were presenting a budget without loss of programs.  The reality is we’re not. We have worked diligently within the financial confines to present a budget that still upholds the core standards that we expect to see in the East Brunswick school system. We saw last year an additional cut of over $2 million when the budget was defeated.  As a board, we have worked toward keeping class sizes reasonable.  At some point, we will have to look for cuts outside the staff, or we will risk class sizes that will not be conducive to learning for our students.

I am optimistic that our 2011-2012 budget will be passed.  I believe that we need to support this budget and ensure that our most valuable resource - our town’s children - can continue to receive that best possible education.

4. On the education side, what would you like to see the district focus on to prepare students for graduation, college and careers?

One initiative that I do think is worth consideration would be Leadership Development: the implementation of a Youth Leadership Program designed to help today's youth develop their personal leadership skills and begin to set goals and directions for their lives beginning at an earlier age. Studies have shown that leadership is essential in enabling youth to develop character, confidence, and values that promote the understanding of healthy behavior. Youth Leadership is both an internal and an external process leading to (1) the ability to guide or direct others on a course of action, influence their opinion and behavior, and show the way by going in advance; and (2) the ability to analyze one’s own strengths and weaknesses, set personal and vocational goals, and have the self-esteem to carry them out.  Throughout the country, Leadership Development programs for middle and high school students are springing up.   This program would supplement the Youth Council.

I would like to see our students be the best prepared upon entering college or the work force. The college credit program gives students an opportunity to earn college credits while still in high school.   This affords them an advantage in the college admissions process as well as a realized cost savings for parents.

We also have an obligation to help our special education students succeed and reach their true potential.

5. Tell us in your own words why you would like to run, why you think you will do a good job, and what you hope to accomplish?

It has been a privilege being a part of the Board of Education for the past two years. It is my deepest desire to continue to be a contributing member. I often emphasize that it was my positive experience as a student in the East Brunswick school system that inspired me to become involved in giving back to the community that I have always known as home.

I am an approachable liaison and an active advocate for the members of our community.  Too often residents can be intimidated and are hesitant to come forward with a problem or an issue.  It has been rewarding for me to have the ability to hear input, provide answers and solve problems for residents.  I plan to continue to be that person that the residents of East Brunswick can turn to.

As a lifelong resident of East Brunswick, I feel that I am uniquely qualified to understand the East Brunswick school system and its intricacies as I have successfully matriculated through our fine school system and I am currently raising my children here in town.

I was an honors and A.P. student who took advantage of our educational as well as extracurricular offerings, including IPLE, Model United Nations, Model Congress, Mock Trial and many other activities.  East Brunswick High School prepared me for a very successful four years at Muhlenberg College, where I was awarded Dean’s List multiple times and even achieved a perfect 4.0 one semester.

I have always enjoyed the role of liaison.  In college, I served as a tour guide, president of my residence hall and as part of a special student leadership program that assisted the administration in conveying the changing needs of the student body.

I pledge to continue to work to maintain the highest level of excellence that our school system is known for and that I was fortunate enough to benefit from personally.