Election 2023: Barnegat School Board Candidate George Fedorczyk Jr

BARNEGAT, NJ —Election Day is nearing, and Barnegat voters will head to the polls to cast their votes for three Board of Education members.

Patch sent questionnaires to all candidates seeking their responses. Here is the response from candidate George Fedorczyk Jr.

Editor's Note: Patch sent out emails to all candidates to the email addresses listed for their campaign provided to the office of the clerk. The responses received will be published between now and the Nov. 7 general election. These responses will be published edited only for style. Candidates who would like to participate but did not receive one (for whatever reason) can contact veronica.flesher@patch.com.

Name: George Fedorczyk Jr

Age: 48

Education: Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Rutgers University, Certified Public Manager Course from Rutgers University’s School of public Affairs and Administration, Governance 1 for School Board, Various Leadership Courses through the military and law enforcement

Occupation: Chief of Police

Family: Married for 20 years, 2 daughters who both attend the Barnegat School District

Previous public office experience: Served 1 year on the school board from late 2020-2021

Why are you running for this position? I want the opportunity to ensure the students in our district are given the chance to be successful. It's important to me that our district develops our students to be productive citizens when they leave our schools whether it be that they continue their formal education or steer in the direction of the arts or vocational opportunities.

What separates you from the other candidates? The most important thing that separates me from the other candidates is that I do not rush to judgement. My military and law enforcement backgrounds have provided me the opportunity to craft my ability to listen to all sides of an issue and formulate a decision that can benefit the majority. My experience has also reinforced my commitment to public service and afforded me the opportunity to work in stressful environments and, as a result, learn effective skills in planning, risk management, and decision-making along the way. I believe an uneducated decision is a very dangerous decision and is exactly why I seek out the information I feel I need to make the most appropriate decision possible.

What do you think is the most pressing issue in the district and how do you intend to address it? The biggest issue with how the current board operates is the perceived lack of communication amongst board members. Having served on the board I understand the importance of communicating effectively not only with members on the board but also with community members. Having been removed from the day-to-day board activities these past two years has given me the opportunity to observe and stay engaged from afar. My observations lead me to believe there is disconnect amongst the current members. It is clear to me that several members are not fully engaged in the process and appear to not take the opportunities in between meetings to educate themselves on the items for the next agenda. The budget vote this year is only one of several examples that come to mind that support my opinion. There is no absolute answer to correct this issue because in the end if people do not want to work with each other they will find every reason not to. In reality it is up to the individual to set differences aside to work towards a common goal. In this case the only goal is to ensure the school administration is operating the school district in an effective, efficient, fiscally and ethically sound manner that benefits all of our students. School board members need to fully understand their roles and responsibilities so that they can manage expectations of the community as to what can and cannot be controlled by the school board.

Sexual education remains a major issue in the district. What do you think is the best course of action? To understand the board’s role in school curriculum, you must understand what drives the curriculum. The state Department of Education determines the standards that every school district must follow. The districts have some limited flexibility to develop their curriculum, specifically how and when a topic is taught. The board’s role is to vote on the curriculum and ensure that the curriculum addresses the standards. In reference to sensitive topics such as sex education I do believe that the board should advocate for parental participation. Parents should be involved with determining how and when the sex education curriculum is being taught. It’s also important to provide the option for parents to opt out of topics related to sex education.

If elected, what do you hope to accomplish? I wish to have the opportunity to improve, to the fullest extent possible, the board’s ability to be open and transparent with our entire community. I would like to see the board become more proactive in community engagements. If elected, I will hold myself, the board members, and the school administration accountable to adopt and follow fiscally sound policies and procedures focused on increasing the district's standardized test scores.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know: I am an active member in the Barnegat Rotary and the American Legion Post 232. I am a lifetime member of VFW Post 5343 and currently serve as the manager for my daughters club soccer team. During my military career I was involved in numerous military operations to include responding to New York on 9/11 and assisting our local communities during Hurricane Sandy. I deployed to Iraq in 2003 and Afghanistan in 2011. I am a Disabled Veteran and a recipient of the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit. I feel these things are important to know about me because these experiences have molded me into a well rounded person and have provided me the ability to leverage my past experiences into the trusted public official our community needs.