Brick Candidate Profile: Victoria Pakala

Profiles of the candidates for the Brick Township Board of Education are being presented for informational purposes.

Responses are unedited.

Candidate’s Name: Victoria Pakala

Employer/Job: I work as a substitute teacher and home instructor for the Freehold Regional High School District.

How long have you lived in Brick? Three years.

Have you ever held elected office or served as an appointee to any government board (where and when)?

I have never held elected office.

1. With all the concerns that Brick students are not keeping pace academically with their peers, what do you feel is the best course of action to help them improve?

The best course of action to help Brick students achieve academically is to evaluate current programs and establish a course of action! We need to identify and prioritize implementation of programs that will foster student success instead of repeating the same failed initiatives.

2. Governor Christie has said he wants to drop the state’s support of Common Core. Do you feel this will help or hurt the goal of improving students’ preparation for college and the working world?

I don’t believe there has been a correlation between Common Core assessments, academic success and readiness for post-high school endeavors. Our students’ preparation and future success is more closely tied to a research-based early literacy program, pre-school opportunities and a rigorous curriculum with meaningful assessments. These initiatives should be pursued. Our students have a lot of work to do. Common Core curriculum methods and goals are confusing. Why complicate academic progress?

3. It’s no secret that residents of Brick (like so many towns) believe we are spending too much in taxes to support the schools. How do you propose to balance the voters’ desire for no increases with the needs of students and the buildings and grounds where they are educated? What is your top priority?

My top priority is to study and define exactly where we have been and where we are going as far as setting academic goals and the related budget allocations needed to achieve them and provide a progressive and safe environment for our students and teachers. We need an operational assessment of our programs and buildings to identify cost savings and set budgetary priorities.

4. Why (in 75 words or fewer) are you the best candidate for the school board?

I will bring fresh ideas and focus on the state-required policies and plans that are currently not in place in Brick Schools. Middle States accreditation requires the district to have a strategic plan. We must put one in place in Brick. Next, I have experience working with school leaders and am eager to participate in the process of hiring a new school superintendent. A new superintendent must lead the district with a progressive agenda to improve student academic progress and make appropriate budget allocations in doing so. As a special educator with experience working with students, teachers, parents and the administration I am well-versed in the diverse needs of the student body at all levels including academic, technology, social, the arts and athletics, as well as community service.