1.  What is your educational and volunteer background?
I have an Electrical Engineering Degree. I moved to Parsippany in 1965 when I accepted a job offer from Bell Telephone Laboratories. I retired from the Bell System after 30 years of service. I then served as Manager of Telecommunications for the State of New Jersey.

My wife Dee and I raised our three children here. Our ten grandchildren have roots here because of my involvement. For the past 55 years, I have been involved with PTA’s, Boosters, Soccer, Little Leagues, Saint Ann Church, Civic Organizations, Boy Scouts, Rotary, Sons of Italy, Craftsman Farms, the Chamber of Commerce, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (I served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War), and many others.

2.  Why did you choose to run for council?
Serving Parsippany has been a labor of love for me. I have served six years on the Parsippany School Board and 36 years on the Parsippany Township Council, serving as President and Vice President at various times over the years. I have served for 24 years on the Planning Board and have also served on the Open Space Committee, Traffic Committee, Municipal Alliance Committee, the Day Care Center, and many others.

3.  What do you feel the biggest issue facing Parsippany today?
There are many Challenges facing Parsippany in the future. Some of those emanate from beyond our borders such as: The Court imposed Affordable Housing mandates; The New Jersey State School Funding Formula which is extremely unfair to Parsippany; New Jersey’s designation as a “Sanctuary State”; and the State’s efforts to legalize recreational marijuana. We will deal with these with the help of our Attorneys, our Planning Experts, and with the support of our Legislators.

Within our Township, we must continue to protect our quality of life issues. By a 3-2 vote, my running mates and I prevented Parsippany from becoming a “Sanctuary City” for criminal illegals. We adopted a resolution opposing recreational marijuana in New Jersey. We are opposed to having dispensaries in Parsippany because the State plans to mandate that all dispensaries also dispense recreational marijuana. We are not opposed to medical marijuana.

Costs continue to increase but our tax base remains pretty much the same. The challenge is to utilize those tax dollars that we have so that we maximize their impact on our services. We must minimize tax increases so that our residents can afford to remain here. Safety is a high priority for our school children and for our residents. We must continue to work with our School Board and our Police Department to find cost effective ways to improve safety. Volunteer Fire, Ambulance and R&R Services are essential to the health and safety of our community. We must continue to support them in any way that we can. Our Parks and Senior Services are second to none, and we must find ways to keep it that way. We must also support our Veterans.

4.  Why did you decide to run now?
I decided to run again so that I can help to address the issues that I listed in question #3 and whatever else arises.

5.  What specific skills will you bring to the table if re-elected?
Experience still matters and I offer the people of Parsippany decades of it. I am the only Parsippany Official to be inducted into the New Jersey State League of Municipalities “Elected Officials Hall of Fame”. Combined with my running mates Paul Carifi and Loretta Gragnani, we make a great team and can accomplish much if we all win.

6.  What new programs or initiatives would you like to start if re-elected?We recently initiated the Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-and-Return program in Parsippany to address the Feral Cat problem. We are also striving to make our Shelter a “minimum kill shelter”.

Most of our traffic does not originate or terminate here, but we must continually seek improvements to our roads and traffic lights.

7.  What are you passionate about?
My number 1 passion is Family! My wife Dee, my three children, my ten grandchildren and their significant others (soon to become family) are what keeps me going. My children and grandchildren live nearby, so we are together all the time.

8.  What is the best thing about Parsippany?
Parsippany has been ranked as the number 1 place to live in New Jersey and ranked as number 17 in the nation by Money Magazine and other publications many times. This does not happen by accident. I like to think that I have been a part of the collective wisdom over the years that has made that possible.

9.  What are your hobbies/interests?
Golf is my number 2 passion for many reasons. Most of my time all week belongs to someone else. The politics, the committees, the organizations, invitations to so many activities, the family, and the honey-do lists take up all of my time … and that’s fine, I have volunteered to be active. But, come Saturday morning, I am with my friends on the golf course for five hours, away from everything else. I look forward to those five hours every week.

10. What is your professional background?
Bell Telephone Laboratories in Whippany was military R&D. Our designs were classified. The rest of my career with NJ Bell, Bell Atlantic and Verizon were all in the Engineering, Design, and Technical support areas.

While working for the State of New Jersey, I re-designed the telecommunications billing system for the State.

While in the Air Force, because of my engineering background, I became an instructor for Single Sideband Communications. Single sideband was the primary communications in Vietnam because it cannot be intercepted by the enemy. In those early years of the Vietnam War (1961-1963), all of my classes were Special Forces … Seals, Green Beret’s and NATO Special Forces.

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1.  What is your educational and volunteer background?
I grew up in New York and attended schools there. A program that is very dear to me and I would like to see continue is the Municipal Alliance Committee (MAC). This program with the cooperation of the Parsippany Police Department and the Police Athletic League (PAL) helps our young students dealing with the many day to day challenges, being it bullying, drug use, to family concerns. MAC is comprised of volunteers, and residents who have lost loved ones to drugs. I am honored to be appointed to this committee as Council Liaison. The programs presented are costly, but I believe are of great importance to the young people of our township.

2.  Why did you choose to run for council?
I have seen our township grow and prosper, become a multicultural and diverse community in the 51 years that I have lived in Parsippany. We have received an A+ rating for the quality of life that we enjoy in our township. An A+ rating is awarded with the hard work of many. Volunteers, township workers, and our Police Department all contributed to Parsippany receiving this achievement.

3.  What do you feel the biggest issue facing Parsippany today?
Taxes are a major concern of our residents. Our seniors who helped build this community after retirement would like to stay and call Parsippany home. In the past two years with the help of my fellow running mates, dePierro, and Carifi Jr. we have cut proposed township budget increases and have lowered the tax burden on our residents.

4.  Why did you decide to run now?
For many years I have been involved in the township. When our sons were students in Northvale Elementary School I served in several positions on the Parent Teacher Association, including the Presidency and as Treasurer. In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene I helped lead volunteers and citizens in a community effort to aid the residents of Lake Hiawatha. Seeing our township come together helping their neighbors inspired me then and is something I remember to this day. For our efforts we received from Governor Christie the NJ State Volunteer Award.

5.  What are you passionate about?
My husband and I have two sons, Andrew and Peter who with their families live out of state. I cherish the times we as a family are together celebrating special occasions. Being of Italian descent, food of course is always the topic of conversion before holiday dinners. My husband Adam has always given me his encouragement and is my best cheerleader. It takes teamwork and commitment to be in politics as we have learned these past years.

6.  What are your hobbies/interests?
I received the Parsippany-Troy Hills Outstanding Achievement Award and the Italian American Woman of the Year Award. I am a co-chair of Relay for Life Cancer Walk, a member of the Development Committee for the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms, former member of the Parsippany Board of Adjustment, and a former Trustee, Advisory Board Member, and Finance Council member for my parish St. Ann R.C. Church. My husband Adam and I are currently serving as members of the Hospitality Committee. I am the Recording Secretary and a member of the Parsippany Republican Club.

7. What is your professional background?
I was the co-owner of a successful design and construction company KBI (Kitchens Baths Interiors) in Lake Hiawatha for 29 years retiring three years ago. With other prominent business owners we formed the Lake Hiawatha Business Association providing holiday decorations on North Beverwyck Road. Volunteers and business owners to this day are continuing to provide enjoyment to the children during the holiday season.

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1. What is your educational and volunteer background?
I have a Bachelor’s of Engineering Degree in Civil Engineering from Manhattan College. I participated in the Rutgers Environmental Stewards Program and Rutgers Green Infrastructure Workshops. I currently serve on Parsippany’s Planning Board and I am the Vice Chair on the Environmental Advisory Committee. Additionally, I am on the Board of Trustees for the Parsippany Child Day Care Center. Within Glacier Hills, I am on the Neighborhood Association Civic Committee and I am a Sunday School teacher at Denville Community Church.

2. Why did you choose to run for council?
I decided to run for Town Council because I believe my election will expand and continue the positive momentum for Parsippany that we’ve seen in the last 2 years. Since then, we have made great progress in our town with initiatives such as a renewed commitment to conform with the Highlands Council and recertification with Sustainable NJ, both of which can provide our town with opportunities for grants and resources. Both of these were allowed to lapse under the previous administration. Council decisions are controlled by the council majority. The previous administration’s budget and development decisions were made without smart planning for the future and we are still paying the price.

3. What do you is feel the biggest issue facing Parsippany today?
There are two big challenges that I see facing Parsippany today. One of these challenges is the lack of civic engagement. On the local level, we all have similar goals and those goals could and should bring people together and give them a “voice”. The majority of Parsippany’s current council governs in a partisan manner which discourages residents from engaging in local politics. Another challenge for Parsippany moving into the future is meeting the pressures of development while maintaining the quality of life that we cherish in our town. This can be done by preserving our open spaces, attract businesses to existing unoccupied buildings, and engaging the community in open meetings on the Master Plan Update.

4. Why did you decide to run now?
While no one can suggest Parsippany is not developing, over the years we have been overrun by development without due consideration for the residents and resources.  In some cases it is now or never for scarce open space. Parsippany is the largest town in Morris County and we can use our resources to accomplish important things. There are opportunities to be a successful and sustainable town if we want to keep Parsippany as the “place to be”. This means attracting business and addressing local infrastructure problems with sustainable development including proactively protecting our open spaces and our natural resources.  There is also a growing awareness of the impact of humans footprint on our environment as we see the effects of long time misguided practices playing out in real time.

5. What specific skills will you bring to the table if elected?
My broad professional skills include experience in civil and environmental engineering. I have been involved for many years as an officer in local politics. Town, professional and local experience qualifies me for this office and deserving of your confidence.

6. What new programs or initiatives would you like to start if elected?
I would like to see our town participate in sustainable programs such as proven programs that can make our town more energy efficient and environmentally resilient while helping the town save tax dollars. Also, I would find ways to engage the community, especially our youth, in our town. While knocking on doors was I surprised to find good people wanting to understand how the town operates.  This summer we saw many residents energized and engaged when the Single Use Plastic Bag Ordinance was introduced. Why not utilize that enthusiasm and energy?

7. What are you passionate about?
This is a big question and I have more than one answer. My first answer is that I am passionate about the natural world, music and art.  The other part of my answer is what motivates me to be involved on the local level. I believe we all do better when we all can succeed and flourish. Like the old saying “rising waters lift all boats”, I believe I need to do my part in help making that happen.

8. What is the best thing about Parsippany?
It is a great place to live and raise a family. I moved to Parsippany 20 years ago to bring up my children in Glacier Hills. Like many neighborhoods in Parsippany it is a community that is intimate and safe. Parsippany has a fantastic school system, town recreation, historic places and parks.

9. What are your hobbies/interests?
My hobbies reflect my passions. I love to be outdoors, running, gardening, hiking, and botanical illustration. Since living in Parsippany, being involved in local government has become my biggest passion.

10. What is your professional background?
As a lead project engineer I was part of a team on major pollution control and highway & bridge projects.  Sewage treatment and roadway maintenance are major functions of the town. In addition to leadership, organization and communication, my success depended on bringing together groups with different and often competing agendas; I was successful. I was also responsible for contract preparation, construction oversight and funding applications, experience needed by Town Council members in their day-to-day responsibilities.

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1. What specific academic subject or technology would you most like to see changed or implemented in our schools?

a) The Parsippany-Troy Hills School District in consistently ranked among the best school districts in the State of New Jersey. We are currently ranked the 28th best school district in New Jersey and #2 in Morris County (according to niche.com). We need to continue to encourage and challenge all students to achieve to their potential. We favor increasing our Advanced Placement course offerings while focusing on the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. We believe that the District should continue its already strong performance in preparing graduates for college or career.

b) Our schools have done an excellent job in implementing technology in the classroom and preparing today’s children for the economy of tomorrow. As technology rapidly changes, we should look into new programs for teachers, parents, and students that help break the walls between the classroom and the home, and leverage our technology to increase transparency. We should also seek to fine-tune technology currently in-use to increase productivity and keep kids on task with programs such as GoGuardian.

2. Rank the stakeholders who you feel the Board of Education should be concerned with in order from highest priority (1 is highest priority)- taxpayers, students, teachers, the community at large.

a) Students are the District’s #1 priority. We are responsible for the student’s health, safety and development while they are in our charge, and even after they leave us and go home. From the District’s Mission Statement: “The mission of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township School District, in partnership with families and the greater community, is to challenge and nurture all students academically and to develop confident learners who are compassionate, generous, appreciative, and invested in their diverse world. This will be accomplished through innovative opportunities that inspire life-long learning, critical thinking and problem solving, creative exploration, and the democratic collaboration among students and staff.” We believe in this mission and act to support it.

The District’s other stakeholders are also extremely important. We take into account how the actions of the Board of Education impact all residents, whether they be property owners or renters, residents with children in school or seniors, faculty and staff. We do not believe in ranking one stakeholder over another.

b) The Board’s number 1 priority and mission is to provide the best education possible to our students. Teachers are an integral part of that mission. Our taxpayers also play an important role, as they’re the ones who ultimately foot the bill, and we must ensure that we are good stewards with the money entrusted in us while at the same time allowing students and teachers to perform efficiently and effectively. The community at large also plays a big role, as they encourage and promote student achievement through events such as Redstock and co-curricular activities. All of these groups form together to continue to make Parsippany “the place to be”

3. What about your background makes you feel uniquely qualified to serve on Parsippany’s Board of Education?

a) For Robert Quinn: “As a graduate of Parsippany High School, I believe that my perspective as a recent graduate will add to and strengthen the perspective of the Board of Education to make the best decisions possible. I want to ensure our students receive the best education possible in a fiscally prudent way.”

b) For Andy Choffo: “I believe that my background in business and 12 years of service as a Parsippany Board Member combine to allow me to ensure that the district is well-run.”

4. What cost efficiency might you propose to curb rising taxes?

a) We believe that the District is extremely well-run financially. We will continue to ensure that the District is offering a competitive, yet cost-effective compensation package to all staff; that our costs to maintain buildings and grounds are spent prudently; and that we always keep in mind that we are spending tax-payer dollars when approving expenditures.

b) During this campaign, Andy and I have spoken to many residents and heard their concerns, and the number 1 issue for residents has been the crushing taxes that many feel are pushing them out of a town and state they have called home for so long. The Board must work with our state legislators to ensure that Parsippany schools receive proper funding. I hope to use the relationships I have forged with elected officials at all levels of government to make this a reality.

5. As previously posted on Parsippany Focus, a petition has been circulating through town and nearly 1,000 people have signed asking for increased busing.  How would you respond to residents?

a) We have spoken to many of the residents that are passionate about expanding the transportation that is provided by the District to include neighborhoods outside of the state-mandated limits. We will continue to listen to their ideas, and where possible, include them in the process to find a workable solution. The Board’s Transportation Committee is currently reviewing options, working with the Parsippany Police Department and will provide their findings in the near future. We pledge to make this a priority for the Board to resolve.

b) Over the past several months, Andy and I have listened to their concerns and have explored possible solutions with them. We must do our best to mitigate potential hazards before it is too late. We are committed to working with parents, hearing their concerns, and get them a seat at the table.

6. Do you think Parsippany has done enough to address school safety? If not, what specific improvements would you propose?

a) On October 17, 2019, Director of Security and Parsippany Police Department Captain Jay Wieners, stated, “Parsippany’s schools are no longer soft targets.” We agree with Captain Wieners. The District has invested heavily in school security. Processes and procedures have been revised. Security experts have been engaged. Students and parents are being informed. Buildings continue to be “hardened.” We believe that student and staff safety is the #1 priority of the District and will work towards further improvements.

b) While the Board and our amazing police officers have done an excellent job at improving safety, there is always more that can be done. A school can never be too safe. We can expand the use of Class III officers and other means to provide a safer environment in a cost-efficient way. The Morris County Sheriff’s office has done great work in attempting to identify threats before they can occur, and I would love to collaborate with Sheriff Gannon and the Parsippany Police Department to start a “see something, say something” campaign within the classroom. School safety is more than just providing a secure and loving learning environment; we want our children to be safe from the time they leave their home in the morning to head to school, to the moment they walk in the door. After speaking with numerous residents about the bussing problems, it is clear we must analyze and assess the problem and react accordingly.

7. What do you think is best about the Parsippany school system and what do you think could use the most improvement?

a) We believe that the strength of the District is its people. We have dedicated administrators, faculty and staff that care deeply about our students. Education is a “people business”, and Parsippany has some of the best people in public education right here in our town.

b) The greatest thing about our town is that we are a large community made up of so many different races, religions, and cultures. Our schools bring all those communities under one roof, cementing Parsippany as a melting pot of different cultures. While the district is one of the best in Morris County, there is always room for improvement. We should look to optimize existing procedures, such as pick up and drop off, to make our schools safer and more efficiently run.

8. What non-academic capability do you think is most important for today’s students to learn in preparation for the future, and what is the best way Parsippany can assist them in learning this?

a) The world can be a tough place. We want our graduates to be successful in whatever dream they decide to pursue. To that end we must provide opportunities in the curricula for kindness and conscience; civics and civility; equality and competition; morality; motivation; self-reliance; hard-work and; interpersonal and communication skills.

b) In a society where smart phones and social media rule our lives, it is imperative that we prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s workforce. We should look into implementing public speaking classes and expand on other courses that improve the social skills of the students. In addition, we should also explore possibly adding to our language program and continue to build bridges between the different cultures and communities throughout the township.

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1. What specific academic subject or technology would you most like to see changed or implemented in our schools?

The Board of Education (BOE) is currently working with a Strategic Plan and there are several initiatives within those goals that I am excited to support. The District is researching the possibility of adding an additional world language, and also exploring additional 1:1 technology outside of the high school level.

2. Rank the stakeholders who you feel the Board of Education should be concerned with in order from highest priority (1 is highest priority)  taxpayers, students, teachers, the community at large.

1 – Students 2 – Teachers 3 – Taxpayers 4 – Community at large

3. What about your background makes you feel uniquely qualified to serve on Parsippany’s Board of Education? 

I am a parent of five teenagers who are attending or have attended Parsippany schools.  I am also a CPA in public practice, and a former child daycare owner/director.  I have been on the Parsippany BOE for the past six years, and have attained “Master Board Member” certification, which is a reflection on attendance at board member trainings and workshops. I have consistently used my knowledge as a parent, accountant and former preschool educator to contribute to the Board as a whole. All members of the BOE need to work together to ensure that the District is well run. The value of one member of the BOE is what they can bring to the entire board.

4. What cost efficiency might you propose to curb rising taxes? 

As a member of the BOE’s Finance committee, I understand the need to reduce spending, because there is no additional revenue source. The finance committee and the district administration are always looking for cost savings. There are services out to bid now in the hopes of getting lower cost contracts. Reducing health-care costs is always a priority, and is an issue that is not unique to Parsippany. If re-elected, I will continue to work with my fellow BOE members and Administration on reducing the health care costs to both staff and the District.

5. As previously posted on Parsippany Focus, a petition has been circulating through town and nearly 1,000 people have signed asking for increased busing.  How would you respond to residents? 

I am a member of the BOE’s Transportation committee, which has been asked to look into possible solutions to busing issues raised by residents. The committee is looking into several alternatives and the District has been in contact with the Parsippany Police department regarding this issue. Additional information will be shared through the Transportation committee as part of the Board meeting minutes and notes which can be found on the District website.  While I understand that additional busing might solve some of the issues raised, that is an additional cost that is not built into the budget, and implementing it would impact our goals to find cost efficiencies and curb rising taxes. I look forward to continuing to work with all parties to find solutions that will meet the needs presented without unnecessarily raising taxes.

6. Do you think Parsippany has done enough to address school safety? If not, what specific improvements would you propose?  

Parsippany is fortunate to have a fully-operational and positive shared-services arrangement between the Township Police Department and the school district.  At the most recent BOE meeting, the Director of Security presented a report updating the Board on school safety in our Township.  While there is always more that can be done, I believe Parsippany has a solid safety plan.  We have well-qualified and caring security staff that are constantly working to improve the safety and security of our students and staff.

7. What do you think is best about the Parsippany school system and what do you think could use the most improvement? 

The variety of academic and non-academic programs and opportunities are a strength of the Parsippany school district.  Throughout the district, from elementary school through high school, there are opportunities for academics on any level, and extra-curricular activities in many different areas, including sports, STEM, the arts and service clubs. One area for improvement is social-emotional well-being, which is a district strategic goal. New Jersey School Boards Association just published a report on addressing Mental Health in school districts.  I attended a workshop on this topic recently, and will discuss the report with the BOE and Parsippany District Administration to find what the District can implement that might be appropriate for our students and staff.

8. What non-academic capability do you think is most important for today’s students to learn in preparation for the future, and what is the best way Parsippany can assist them in learning this?

Instilling a love of learning will be very important for today’s students. The jobs of the future will look very different than the jobs of today, and students will need to be flexible and open to learning new skills. Parsippany can assist them by ensuring that every student finds education enjoyable and learns to identify their strengths.

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1. What specific academic subject or technology would you most like to see changed or implemented in our schools?

I would like to see more coding opportunities at the elementary level. This is the key age for children to begin learning this ever-growing subject, and one that is important to future careers. We have started teaching our son, who’s in First grade, coding at home through an online tool that turns it into a game, and he’s enjoying it a lot.

Coding skills overlap and reinforce skills in all other subjects and may be as essential as reading in future careers.

2. Rank the stakeholders who you feel the Board of Education should be concerned with in order from highest priority (1 is highest priority)- taxpayers, students, teachers, the community at large.

I feel it is unfair to rank these key stakeholders in our school district. We need to balance our focus on all these audiences. Working to maintain and improve educational standards makes Parsippany an attractive place to live, increasing demand for and value of our residences, both homes and rentals.

3. What about your background makes you feel uniquely qualified to serve on Parsippany’s Board of Education?

In my career as a Business Analyst for the past 15 years, I help companies implement database solutions and improve business processes. A big part of my job is finding the optimal solution to my client’s problems, and that’s what keeps me passionate about my job. I love solving puzzles, and that’s how I equate the work that I do. I visualize their problem and think about various ways to solve them, then work with a team to come up with the best solution and implement it.

This experience makes me an excellent candidate for the Board of Education. Being one of nine members of the board, I would collaborate with my colleagues to look at each issue that came to us, analyze them for urgency, severity, and work towards the best solution while considering costs, effort, and other key factors. I will also bring new ideas and insights to the group. And when confronted with the answer “because that’s how it’s always been done”, I will push back and not just accept the status quo. I hear this phrase all the time in my line of business, and I challenge it every time, because it’s not enough to simply do what we’ve always done…it may be time for a change, big or small.

4. What cost efficiency might you propose to curb rising taxes?

One of the first things I want to do if I’m elected onto the Board of Education is to review the budget with existing Board members and the Superintendent’s office. I want to understand each aspect of the costs we have and determine if there are areas where we can find cost savings.

One key area that I’ve been focused on is the healthcare costs the district pays. I have been formulating a plan to significantly reduce the costs to both the district and the teachers/staff. The main complaint I hear from teachers about healthcare is they have been taking home less and less money in their paycheck, even when they get a raise. This is due to both the constantly rising healthcare costs in America combined with the Chapter 78 law in NJ that requires teachers to pay a higher portion of their healthcare costs as their years of service and pay scale go up.

In the current school year, the district is paying $25.9M for employee benefits. That is 18% of the school budget’s general expenses, and 30% of teacher salaries. In the current year’s budget, an amount of $320,503 had to be included to compensate for the increase in healthcare costs to the district. Imagine what we could do with $320,000 if we didn’t need to set it aside for rising healthcare costs!

5. As previously posted on Parsippany Focus, a petition has been circulating through town and nearly 1,000 people have signed asking for increased busing. How would you respond to residents?

I have engaged with several parents in the district on this very topic over the last few months, listening to their specific situations and thinking about how I would feel if my child were in the same situation. I have seen the petition circulating and have signed it. I feel there are two key issues when discussing transportation in the district — the distance we should set for those that automatically get busing; and how to support those families who live closer than the busing distance for both walking safety and alternative methods of transportation to school.

When I research Transportation Safety reports on the district website, the last report available is from 2007. If that truly is the last time one was done, I would let the residents know that my first course of action would be to determine how often other comparable NJ school districts conduct their transportation safety studies, and if we are behind, to conduct a new study for our district. I personally feel that 12 years is too long between studies, knowing how much the town has changed in that time. My second course of action would be to get bids on providing subscription busing to families that live inside of the current 2-mile limit to receive busing, so that those families can choose whether they want to receive busing for their children or not. The cost would be paid for by those families that choose to use the service, and not increase district budget costs.

6. Do you think Parsippany has done enough to address school safety? If not, what specific improvements would you propose?

In today’s society, we all live day to day knowing there is a risk that something awful may happen. This “something” can happen in any town. With that said, we shouldn’t live in constant fear for that “what if” moment to occur. I feel the measures we have taken to date are appropriate and adequate, even if I wish we didn’t need any of it. Every time I walk into a school building, I see the lock-down signs and the instructions for students to follow if in a bathroom stall. It makes me sad every time!

I think it’s equally important to focus on student’s well-being than it is to secure the buildings from outside factors. Teaching both students and staff to look for signs of kids in distress can go a long way to ensuring we do not have any serious incidents at our schools.

7. What do you think is best about the Parsippany school system and what do you think could use the most improvement?

I love how diverse our school district is, and it’s one of the reasons we chose to move to Parsippany almost five years ago. I grew up in a suburban town a little smaller thank Parsippany, but with a similar feel to Parsippany, except it was not nearly as diverse then. I didn’t learn about the various cultures. Here, my children are exposed to a wide range of nationalities in the classroom, giving them the opportunity to learn so many new things, to embrace openness and understanding, and to share the experiences together.

Where I see room for improvement is the level of effort each individual school’s PTAs need to put into fundraising. It used to be the district’s responsibility to pay for field trips, necessary equipment at each school, etc. Today, each PTA raises money each year to support field trips, assemblies, equipment such as concert risers or water fountains, and more. I’d love to see the district find a way to revise the budgets (without raising taxes) to include these items back into the budget and take the onus away from the parents volunteering countless hours to their PTAs.

8. What non-academic capability do you think is most important for today’s students to learn in preparation for the future, and what is the best way Parsippany can assist them in learning this?

So many people enter the “real world” not knowing how to formulate a basic budget. It would be great if we can incorporate life skills into the middle school and high school curriculum (if it’s not already there). Life skills would include creating a household budget, balancing a checkbook (physically or online), how to detect a scam, safety skills, and more. This can be achieved by a new-age Home Economics class – no longer the place you learn to sew and cook, but instead used to prepare our children for a life on their own.

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