Jennifer Gilbert

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• Age: 35
• Residence: Lower Macungie Township
• Do you have children in the district?  Three children  (1 at Eyer, 2 at Shoemaker)
• Politics: I'm registered Republican to be able to vote in PA primaries, but I lean more toward libertarian (if I had to choose a party).  I've always preferred not to have affiliation with any party for various reasons.
• Experience:  I have a bachelor's degree in English/Secondary Education from Grove City College (in Grove City, PA).  As a stay-at-home mom, I have volunteered extensively in the schools for the past 7 years.  I am currently a co-president of the Shoemaker PTO as well as involved in the Eyer Connection parents' group.  I am an assistant Girl Scout leader and volunteer coordinator for the Macungie Bears Swim Team.  I have also planned, organized, and executed many children's and ladies programs at the Allentown church of Christ including 4 years of Vacation Bible Schools.  I currently teach Sunday School at the Conventry Hills church of Christ.

1. What motivates you to want to become a board member?

I have a degree in education, but have been an active volunteer in the schools and community as a stay-at-home mom for the last 13 years.  Preparing our youth for the future seems to be an inescapable desire and focus of mine.  Overall, I have been pleased with the education my three children are currently receiving in East Penn, but I feel I can give a unique perspective to ideas for improvements as well as priorities.  It is important for the various demographics of a community to be represented on the school board, so I’d like to see at least a couple more spots on the board be filled by parents with students currently in the district.  It’s important to have a representative who considers the effects of decisions on every member of our community.  I feel I can bring a nice balance of educational excellence and fiscal conservatism.

2. What do you see as the board’s roles and responsibilities?

The responsibility of the school board is to be 1.) lawful, 2.) mindful of the priorities/concerns of both schools and community, 3.) informatively responsive to the community, and 4.) foresighted.  First, a board must adhere to all laws/policies governing our education system.  When laws present roadblocks to our community’s priorities, we have the right and responsibility to petition our lawmakers, but until then, laws must be followed. The board must lawfully ensure the children in East Penn have an excellent education while balancing consideration for the needs and priorities of the community. School boards are public servants representing the community and therefore need to be aware of the “pulse” of our schools and the surrounding citizens and to respectfully consider all opinions/concerns.  It should then, keep the community informed of challenges as well as actions taken by the board.  Finally, a board must look forward for improvements and challenges.

3. What is your vision for education in this community?

 Unfortunately, the extent of modern state and federal government involvement often leaves little room for a community to have its own vision for public education.  Keeping those limitations in mind, I’d like to see our district embrace a stronger team effort and respect among parents, teachers, and community to form and reach our educational goals with first priority being our children.  A community’s educational needs can cover such a large scope of goals that it becomes easy to lose focus and justify just about anything in the name of educating a community.  In difficult economic times, focus becomes especially vital.  The main focus of a school district is to help ensure our children become a disciplined, judicious citizenry.  The end goal is maintaining a productive society.

Bottom line: are we working together to ensure our students have the skills to positively participate in society as well as get a job?

4. What do you see as the primary work of the board?

The primary work of the East Penn School board is to be vigilant in remaining aware of the educational needs/goals of the East Penn School District and then making sure that teaching staff, administration, parents and citizens are working together and have the necessary tools to reach those goals.

5. What are the current challenges facing education/school boards?

The biggest challenge facing education/school boards, in general, is federal and state mandates (especially when unfunded).  They place enormous financial demands on a district and are often so sweeping and general that they spread schools thin and limit teachers and parents from having the freedom to focus on issues that are most relevant to their schools and children.  They limit creative solutions to meeting educational goals.

A challenge for EPSD, in particular, is its large size and therefore, communication.  It is difficult for a board to get the necessary community feedback to stay abreast of, identify, and prioritize the concerns and challenges facing the district.  It is also difficult to make sure every citizen is getting the information and explanations that they really need to be informed members of the community.

6. Would you support a tax increase?

Many factors should be researched when considering a tax increase and even a small increase is not to be considered lightly.  Some of these factors are legal requirements/mandates, student impact, cost/benefits of specific programs, current economic climate, and effects on specific groups of people in the community.  The weight of each of these factors changes yearly.  Legal requirements are obviously fulfilled first, but after that the current economic climate might carry the heaviest weight one year while maintenance issues or technology advancements might demand attention another year.  A delicate equilibrium exists between taxes and standard of education.  Good schools draw productive families, but too high of taxes repels them. Taxpayer money is finite and there is a point when it’s gone.  Inflation alone makes it completely unrealistic to say that I’d never support a tax increase, but it would be the last resort after all other options have been exhausted.

7. Can you think of any district expenses that should be cut?

I would have to do a deeper analysis of each expense to suggest a specific cut, but I have volunteered A LOT in our school district over the last 7 years and I see areas where some creative solutions could possibly cut expenses.  I’ve also heard citizens with ideas that should be considered.  Our district runs pretty lean, but cuts are sometimes a painful necessity.  It is the responsibility of a board to “hold every penny hostage.”  I believe that, with the help of the Superintendent, every expense should be under constant analysis.  There are two things and two things only that are vital to providing a great education: solid teachers and solid parents.  If one of these is missing, it becomes almost impossible to give a first rate education.  If both are in place, there’s not much that can’t be overcome.  East Penn has both.

8. Do you support merit pay for teachers?

Wow! Merit Pay in 150 words or less!  For the sake of solid teachers, I would love to see some system of merit pay, but I’ve yet to hear a way to design that program that wouldn’t have some rather scary consequences—not the least of which (depending on the model being discussed) would be to bankrupt a school district or leave them with a large number of sub-par teachers.  The education industry has some very unique aspects not faced in other industries that would present challenges to a merit pay system.  For one, it is a service required by law as a right to every student.  It therefore, cannot go out of business and cannot turn away “customers.”  Because something is difficult, though, is not a reason to stop trying to figure it out!  It’s going to have to be a complex system based on a lot of factors.

9. Are you in favor of the Governor’s school voucher proposal?

I’ve read many opinions and commentary on both sides of this proposal, but I’m still in the process of reading and analyzing the actual proposal for myself.  Like anyone, I have questions and thoughts regarding its effect on Pennsylvania, and perhaps more importantly its effect on EPSD specifically.  Taxpayer funded school choice is going to be a tricky field to navigate.  I believe that school choice allows a parent to have more control of and input into their child’s education.  I am a proponent of school choice, but I’m not fully convinced at this point that this specific proposal has all the necessary components to get the desired results of providing more equity in education across the state.  I’m glad that states and districts across our country are taking steps toward figuring out a way of making school choice a reality, but I’m not convinced we’ve found it yet.

10. How do you think Gov.Corbett’s proposed budget will affect East Penn?

I appreciate the governor making difficult cuts to our state’s budget.  I like that as part of a fiscal discipline strategy, he wants to take the government out of places it isn’t working. It feels, though, like he took the money from the schools, but the government is still there.  More mandates need to be reconsidered for reform or removal so school districts can have more freedom to choose how to spend their money.  State and federal mandates provide financial difficulties.  I hope the school board can lead the charge in suggesting specific areas to reform (where perhaps the government isn’t working) that would give some relief to both district and state.  The proposed budget will make it more difficult for East Penn, but a budget shouldn’t be feared or seen as a punishment.  It is what it is and we’ll do the best we can with what we have.

• Do you have a social media page, such as a Facebook account? Only a personal one
• Do you tweet?  no

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