Meet The Candidate: Kevin Hajduk For Edison Board of Education

EDISON, NJ — Incumbent Kevin Hajduk is seeking to retain his seat on the Edison Board of Education.

An educator with 23 years of experience, Hajduk said classroom capacity is currently the biggest struggle for the school district. With his experience as a teacher, coach, and administrator, Hajduk said he work to provide students and staff with ample resources to succeed.

Below is candidate Hajduk’s candidate profile.

(All candidates were given the same questions. Answers are candidates' own.)

Editor's Note: Patch sent out emails to all candidates to the email addresses provided by the County clerk's office. All responses received will be published between now and Nov. 8 general election. Local candidates who did not receive the questionnaire from Patch can contact sarah.salvadore@patch.com.

Name: Kevin Hajduk

Age: 45

Town of residence: Edison

Position sought: Board of Education Member

Family: 4 children

Education: Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, Management, and Policy, Seton Hall University

Occupation: School Principal

Why are you seeking to run for School Board?

As a member of Edison Township and raising a family here, I feel that my knowledge of education for 23 years, combined with my passion for being a collaborative leader, makes me a great candidate for the Edison School Board.

COVID-19 resulted in learning loss for many students. What will you do to ensure students bounce back?

I agree. Although I believe there was a learning loss, I cannot agree that our educators do not have the skills to gain this learning back. My plan is to help support the teachers by approving highly qualified new staff members and allowing them to have access to all of the pertinent materials/equipment that they need to effectively teach our students in Edison.

What is your view on the sex education curriculum that Gov. Murphy put forth earlier this year?

The sex education curriculum includes state-mandated standards across the K-12 grade levels. It is important for parents to know how to access the information within the curriculums of each grade and how it will be embedded into each classroom. The Edison School District must not only post the curriculum for the parents to see, but also be sure they know where to locate it and answer questions that parents may have. It is very important for parents to have the ability to understand the actual content being placed inside the classrooms in each grade level and then have the opportunity to base their concerns on what they feel is appropriate for their child to learn in school and opt out of the topics they do not feel is appropriate for their child to learn. Parental choice has been instrumental in allowing parents to make a decision about what they wish their child to learn and not learn relating to the sex education curriculum.

What according to you is the biggest issue facing the school district currently? How do you plan to tackle it?

I believe that classroom capacity is the biggest struggle. We need to balance the number of students in the classrooms learning so that they can have the best opportunity to be active learners and are prepared for the future that is ever-changing.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

I have been involved in the trenches of education as a teacher, coach, and administrator. This experience has given me the opportunity to make decisions that are good for kids and improve areas that are necessary.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?

As a former teacher of students with disabilities, I can be a productive member of the Edison Board of Education who can visualize how all students needs can be met with the appropriate resources and staff. I have diverse experience levels of working within elementary, middle, and high school classrooms as a teacher, coach, and administrator for the past 22 years.

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