The Patch Candidate Profile Q&A

Name: Kimberly Conetta

Age: 48

Town of residence: East Brunswick

Family: Married, 3 children- 1 graduated from EB Schools, 2 currently in EB schools. My parents, siblings with their own children and extended family still live in town.

Education: BA in Journalism, New York University

Occupation: Head of Regulatory Affairs, Commerzbank AG NY

Previous or current elected appointed office: No elected office. Currently President of EB Arts Coalition.

Why are you seeking a seat on the BOE? 

I have three children have either graduated from the school system or are currently in the school system. We have experienced everything from the virtual classes and virtual IEP evaluations during the pandemic, to the continued use of laptops and online resources.  My youngest child has an IEP and a few years back needed more advocacy for the quality of support he lost mid-year in kindergarten when his teacher was transferred to another school for her expertise and he received a new teacher.  Due to my concerns of the immediate change, I became extremely proactive in monitoring his progress, learned to ask the right questions, built better relationships with his team, and became involved with the then newly formed SEPAG group in order to be better informed and to be able to help others.  I haven't stopped advocating since then for my own children and the community.  Recently I've sensed a shift in the quality of support provided to our general education and special needs students from my own experiences and from speaking with my fellow parent.

I am seeking a seat on the BOE because I want to make sure that all our students are getting the proper support for their learning and development and our teachers are provided with the resources they need to support our students during this critical time when we are navigating budget cuts and transitioning to a new superintendent.  It is important to be that the standards in East Brunswick schools improve so that the students have the best environment to thrive.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

I am an EBHS alumni and was a student at the time when EBHS became a Blue Ribbon school, when EB schools were setting the standard in the Arts, and athletics were thriving.  My oldest child went through the EB school system.  She participated in orchestra, girls varsity tennis team and graduated in 2016 to move onto Rutgers University for her BFA and Columbia University for her MFA.  My son is in 8th grade at Churchill Junior HS and is involved in Jazz and Marching band. My youngest, with special needs, is in 4th grade and continues to excel in his Learning and Language Disabilities (LLD) classroom instruction where he works in a smaller group on his individual learning needs combined with general education exposure.  I collaborate closely with the administration and his team of teachers to continue his success in the school system.  I have a multitude of experiences across differing interests and needs of my three children which provide me a broad perspective that will enable me to drive positive change.

I am also the President of the East Brunswick Arts Coalition, a nonprofit organization that supports arts and culture in EB.  We work with the various arts and culture organizations in town creating a network of community leaders to offer programming and events for East Brunswick.  I led the creation and installation of the outdoor butterflies created by EB residents to bring artistry to our public spaces most notably at the Library, Great Oak Park, and the EB Community Arts Center.  I broke barriers and launched successful East Brunswick events such as the EB Lunar New Year celebrations, Harvest Fest, and the EB Market.  I continue to seek new and innovative ways to raise the bar in East Brunswick’s community and schools.

With my experience as a mom, a PTA member/SEPAG Liaison, East Brunswick Arts Coalition President and board-member of several other organizations, I have the experience and a strong network of community leaders to be an effective advocate for our students and teachers.

What, according to you, is the biggest issue facing the school district?  

The biggest issue facing the school district right now is management of the state aid cuts.  The past few years, year over year, we've received less state aid and this year even though we knew ahead of time we’d be faced with continued state aid cuts the district remained in the same position with a budget gap and bandaid solutions.  Ongoing action plans should be in place to tackle anticipated budget gaps proactively.

From a state-level perspective, the district needs to mobilize and advocate for East Brunswick more in Trenton.  Be present and make themselves heard through a strong unified voice to influence policy and create change for our community’s educational priorities and needs.

Are you happy with the way the district has handled state aid cuts and budget issues? What would be your approach? 

Recently the school district has faced challenges and made tough decision.  But the district should be more proactive about budget planning and finding ways to be more economical while maintaining quality and balanced curriculum for the students and teacher morale.  The way the district is currently addressing the state aid cuts and budget issues is not sustainable.  Long term planning with 3-5 year plans and achievable goals is needed.   Research, commit, and develop plans tracking milestones to achieve set goals.

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the school district? 

In general, we would benefit from acknowledging there are issues and owning the solutions for a better outcome.  The only way to move forward with the goal of ensuring we have an amazing school district for the students is to listen collectively between the BOE, our community, and educators to recognize the problems the district faces so that those issues can be addressed through thoughtful discussion, planning and execution for improvement.

Continued improvement on communication with the community, the educators, and the township is needed to build trust and confidence so that everyone can work together to develop viable solutions for the school district during this crucial time.

The development of target goals for the new superintendent that reflect the community's values to uphold the standards of the education East Brunswick has always been known to have with accountability through regular updates and tracking is crucial which we, as a community, have not seen before.

Understanding the state of the high school building to determine next steps to renovate the facilities to be tackled since many students have already been impacted by the 5th grade shift to Hammarskjold and the trailers at Churchill with the intention of 9th grade moving up to the high school.

The results of the standardized tests for our district were presented at a Board of Ed meeting with apparent gaps and decline in performance. Our curriculum and support areas need to be reviewed to get a picture of whether our students are being supported appropriately for their needs.  

What, according to you, is the one thing the district has been most successful in doing this past year?

In this past year, I think the district has been most successful in trying to provide better communication with the community which includes earlier communication regarding the budget, and engaging the community to have initial input on requirements ahead of the search for the new superintendent.

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your campaign?

Given the opportunity, my priorities will be:

- To ensure the children receive the best education to prepare them for their future

- Uphold accountability

- Provide clarity and transparency in communication with the community

East Brunswick has a long standing reputation of providing best in class education.   Together we can build on this legacy so that our children can have the tools they need to ensure their brightest future.  Vote Kim Conetta Column #2!