SAYREVILLE – Five candidates are seeking three available three-year terms on the Sayreville Board of Education in the Nov. 7 election.
The terms of board members Phyllis Batko, Michael Macagnone and Beth DePinto will end in December. DePinto is not seeking re-election.
The candidates seeking the terms are Batko, Macagnone, Christopher Callahan, Ryan De La Uz and Karen Rubio.
Batko is a retired finance manager from AT&T who has worked in the fields of accounting and finance for other companies, including General Electric. A resident of Sayreville since 1969 and a graduate of the district, she served on the Sayreville Borough Council before becoming a member of the Board of Education in 2005.
“While much change and progress has been implemented during my tenure on the Board of Education, there is still more to be accomplished,” Batko said. “In today’s world, students need a solid education to succeed. I believe a good school system is the backbone of any community.
She said she has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Douglass College and a master’s degree in finance from Rutgers University.
“My previous employment experiences and educational background enables me to understand and positively contribute to the budget process and appropriately allocate taxpayer money,” she said. “As a financial manager, I acquired essential leadership skills, which help me to effectively communicate with the staff and professionals hired by the board, as well as auditors. My financial background has been instrumental in facilitating the long-range planning process.”
If re-elected, Batko said three areas of focus for her will be improving college readiness of the district’s students; increased fiscal responsibility through allocating more tax money to fund classroom and student achievement, providing one Google Chromebook computer to each student and changing the budget process from a committee to a public forum with the entire board; and improving staff morale and decreasing teacher turnover.
Callahan is currently the supervisor of technology for the Woodbridge Township School District and has worked in Woodbridge for 15 years, seven at the district level. He is also an adjunct professor at Middlesex County College and has a dual degree in mathematics and computer science from Rutgers and New Jersey Institute of Technology and an MBA in management/finance from Columbia University. Prior to his career in education, Callahan worked in the information technology industry for companies such as IBM, NCR, AT&T and CommVault. He has been a resident of Sayreville since 1984 and is a graduate of Sayreville War Memorial High School (SWMHS).
“My wife Lori and I have two young children in the Sayreville School District – Class of 2028 and Class of 2030,” Callahan said. “I want the best for my children, as well as all children. I want to bring my 15 years of educational experience to help the district continue the focus of providing a quality and challenging education for all students, while enabling them to compete successfully in the 21st century.
“I would bring all of my work experiences and lessons learned to the Board of Education. For example, this year my technology team and I have provided an access point in every classroom for the entire district [$1.5 million] along with a 1:1 iPad rollout with digital curriculum for every eighth grade student, as well as brand new devices for all staff [$1 million].”
If elected, Callahan said three areas of focus for him will be ensuring that the district gets adequate funding as new construction comes to Sayreville; supporting the district’s teachers and administrative staff; and ensuring that the district continues to have the safest schools and procedures possible.
De La Uz is an engineer for the U.S. Army. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Rutgers and a master’s degree in systems engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. A lifelong resident of Sayreville and a graduate of SWMHS, he is making his second consecutive bid for Board of Education.
“My main reason for running for the Board of Education is that I have three beautiful girls that will be going through the Sayreville School District,” De La Uz said. “I want them to have the best possible education they can have. I have additional family members and friends that are currently in Sayreville schools from elementary ages up to high school. As a parent, I think it is very important that board decisions are only made after receiving significant input from teachers and parents.
“How do really low income school districts afford to pay their teachers $60,000 a year after only three years in the district, while higher median household districts with higher taxes are only paying their teachers $40,000 after five years? Over 50 percent of our Sayreville property taxes goes to the Board of Education, yet there doesn’t seem to be a lot of educational improvement in comparison to neighboring districts.
He said as an engineer for the Army, he has to make sure weapons and ammunition are safe and will function as intended without accidental unplanned initiation. He said he has a Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma, a methodology that relies on a collaborative team effort to improve performance by systematically removing waste resulting from overproduction or defects.
“All of this knowledge will be implemented to make our schools better for our children,” he said.
If elected, De La Uz said three areas of focus for him will be having the district pay for essential teaching aides while Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)-raised funds go to extracurricular activities and special events; increased scrutiny and potential removal of the Common Core State Standards Initiative; and allowing students to take equivalent standardized tests to Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) to graduate high school instead of requiring the PARCC to be mandatory for graduation.
Macagnone currently works for the Jackson School District and has lived in Sayreville for 22 years. A retired military officer who served on active duty for 23 years, he has been board president during eight of his 12 years on the Board of Education. He joined the board in 2005.
“I am seeking re-election to continue to ensure the school district remains effective and serves all of our children,” Macagnone said. “My three daughters graduated from SWMHS and each of them received an outstanding education and had a very rewarding experience being involved in sports and other activities. All three are college graduates and I credit their academic foundations and college preparation on the time they spent in the Sayreville School District. I want to make sure that those experiences are available for present and future students as well.
He said his time spent in the military as well as his academic education have prepared him for working with other professionals, discussing curriculum and instruction, putting plans into action, conducting meetings and communicating with the public.
“Understanding education and having 17 years of high school and four years of college teaching experience has been very helpful in understanding 21st century teaching challenges confronting educators,” he said.
If re-elected, Macagnone said three areas of focus for him will be school security and safety, student discipline and curriculum.
Rubio is a retired educator who taught grades 3-7 in the Sayreville School District. She is the government relations chair of the Middlesex County Retired Educators Association and a member of the Sayreville Hall of Fame Committee. A graduate of SWMHS, she is a lifelong resident of the borough.
“In running for the Board of Education, it is my belief that the district has an excellent school safety record,” Rubio said. “They have worked to encourage and assist in college acceptances. I would use my voice for a clear curriculum in the primary and middle grades, and focus on the need to hire more staff to improve class size. A stronger basis provides for future success for students.
“My professional background and love is in education. I have had a presence on school committees, PTOs and in mentoring new staff, as well as at board meetings. Using that experience, I hope to be a voice for educators and parents to the board.”
If elected, Rubio said three areas of focus for her will be addressing a district effort to improve an attitude for success; utilizing technology to air Parent Involvement Council meetings online; and de-emphasizing high stakes testing and encouraging alternate assessments.
