Meet Washington Twp. School Board Candidate Jason Koestenblatt
NEW JERSEY - In a few short weeks what is expected to be one of the most charged elections in modern history is set to take place and Patch has asked local candidates to share their thoughts before the Nov. 3 election.
Editor's Note: Patch sent out emails to all candidates to the email addresses listed for their campaign provided to the county clerk. The responses received will be published between now and the general election. Candidates who would like to participate but did not receive one (for whatever reason) can contact Russ.Crespolini@patch.com. What you see below are their answers with mild style edits.
Name: Jason Koestenblatt
Campaign Contact name, phone number (n/a if you don't have one): N/A
Previous elective office, if any: (n/a if you don't have one) N/A
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Writing with a concentration in journalism, Kutztown University
Occupation: Editorial Strategy Lead, Content Marketing
Fun Fact: I spent 36 hours believing I had trapped gas before a CT scan showed I needed an emergency appendectomy.
What inspires you: The list is fairly long, but honestly I really enjoy seeing the success of others, especially kids. Any parent will tell you nothing makes them happier than when they see their own child have an “a-ha” moment — be it solving the math equation on their own, finally scoring their first goal, or learning the importance of being kind and compassionate to others.
Why are you seeking a seat on the school board?
I became intimately involved with the processes and functions of the local school board in 2010 when I began covering it as an editor for Long Valley Patch. It wasn’t long before I realized the magnitude of the decisions being made and how that would impact my own growing family — which now includes three sons enrolled in the district. I wanted a seat at the table, but due to conflict of interest based on the nature of my career, I was unable to seek a seat on the board until my days in local journalism with Patch ended (2016).
Now, having waited, watched, and learned more with each passing year about the machinations and direct impact the board has on this community, I felt it was time to finally pursue candidacy.
The single most pressing issue facing our school district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
The single most pressing issue facing the Washington Township School District is the continuing loss of state aid over the next four years. The state’s course correction on funding to make up for nearly a decade of declining enrollment is going to force tough spending decisions in the coming budget cycles.
Without raising class size, decreasing services, or putting increased financial burden on taxpayers, the board will have to ensure every dollar and budgetary line item is being used efficiently and purposefully.
I intend to work with the administrators in the district and drill down on what each building and its students need, then evaluate priorities and see what can be done and when. Maybe it’s an upgrade in technology at one school, or the sale of unused equipment or furniture from another school to find a revenue source and bridge the gap in funding.
Going to bat for the town’s taxpayers and making fiscally responsible decisions is my top priority.
What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking to serve on the school board? If unopposed, describe the issues that define your campaign platform.
As stated above and as you’ll read below, my tie to the Washington Township community both professionally and personally ranges decades. I’m well aware of what our neighbors see as priorities for their children in the school district while ensuring fiscal responsibility and top-notch academics.
Additionally, I won’t be and have no plans to make my candidacy political in any way. The local board of education is not a place for adults to push their own political beliefs and agendas — regardless of what they are — into the classrooms of children. My focus is on the foundation of education — reading, writing, and arithmetic if you will — and ensuring we put the proper academic processes in place to make our kids successful in the future.
What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you will be effective on the school board?
From a professional standpoint, my career in journalism has suited me well for an elected position as it gave me time to understand the ins and outs of the school board and how the governance of a district worked. Over the last four years in the marketing industry I’ve been charged with overseeing large budgets for clients and ensuring goals and key performance indicators are met on deadline and within scope — not dissimilar from the board’s duties.
A major reason why I’m running, however, is because of the personal aspect. I’ve been a Washington Township resident since the summer before my third-grade year at Flocktown Road School. I met a wonderful young lady in eighth grade at the Long Valley Middle School who, eight years later, became my wife. We’re raising three sons in this town and trying our hardest to give them the same educational opportunities we were afforded.
Additionally, I’ve coached Little League baseball in town for six years and held coordinator positions on that league’s board of directors as well. I’ve volunteered to help lead Kids’ Club — a weekly gathering of students in grades one through five at Mendham Hills Community Church — for the last five years along with various other children’s ministry programs. I’ve also volunteered as a room parent for my kids’ classes in previous school years.
Frankly, the Washington Township community has been and remains to be the place we choose for our family, and in doing so I want to step forward and ensure it’s a great area for students and their families for generations to come.
Recovering from COVID-19 is going to put a significant financial strain on the schools. With so much of our tax dollars going to support them. But cuts will still be needed. Where do you see room for budget improvement? What things will you go to the mat to defend?
As stated above, Washington Township is going to see a decrease in state aid for at least the next four years, and that will far outweigh any financial impact brought on by 2020’s health crisis.
Going forward it won’t be unusual to see hybrid learning environments (in class students + at-home learners) and that requires technology that can last 180 days each school year. What does our current technology stack look like? How can we ensure students are getting the learning instruction they need if a Chromebook’s speaker breaks or their school building’s Internet connectivity becomes faulty?
Digital transformation is necessary across every industry, and that poses challenges for public school districts mandated to operate within capped budgets. I’m excited to be part of a board of education that can provide cutting-edge technology to its students and staff without adding to the taxpayers’ monthly costs.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put into focus the issue of mandatory vaccinations. If such a movement gains traction, where do you stand on the issue for your community?
Vaccination legislation is created at the state level, and regardless of an individual’s personal belief on the topic, a local board of education cannot mandate away from or above the state’s law on an individual matter. The “issue for my community” on this topic would be decided in Trenton, not inside the Washington Township Board of Education meetings.
Since the change to this year's election was announced by Murphy, there have been many questions about how the process will work. Below is some further reading on the Nov. 3 election process:
A primarily vote-by-mail election means a lot of changes to election day. See what you can expect this November.
Those not needing an ADA compliant booth will need a provisional ballot to vote in-person. Here is what that will look like.
There was language on the primary ballots asked voters certify they requested the ballot, even if they didn't.
Voters wondering how their signatures are checked before the upcoming election can see the process for themselves.
Need to register for the upcoming election? Want to track your vote once you do? Read on to learn how.
Here is a recap of important dates to remember with upcoming election, all in one place.
Confusion and concern has reigned as ballots arrive, here Patch got some answers from a county clerk.
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This article originally appeared on the Long Valley Patch
