BOE Candidate Profile: Jennifer Hudak

With school elections coming up on April 27, Manchester Patch reached out to the to learn about their background, connection to the community and where they stand on key education issues.

Today's profile features Jennifer Hudak, 38, a Kindergarten Teacher at Monmouth Academy in Howell who has lived in Manchester for most of her life. She grew up in the township's Pine Lake Park section and now lives in Holly Oaks with her husband and three children who attend Manchester schools. Hudak is seeking her first term on Manchester's Board of Education. 

A profile on incumbent candidate Mary Walter is upcoming; has been featured.

What is your connection to the community?

I have been a resident of the township for most of my life. During that time, I have been a student in the schools, a teacher in the district, a parent, a member of the Superintendent's Advisory Committee and a Girl Scout Leader. I have spoken at Back to School Night regarding the importance of approving the referendum, and I regularly attend town meetings and school board meetings. Manchester is the place I grew up, and it is where my children are being raised; therefore, it is crucial that I stay connected to the community.  

A board of education member in Manchester is not paid -- why do you feel it is important to volunteer your time serving on the board?

Honestly, I can not understand why someone would not want to serve on the board.  As an educator, a tax payer, and as a parent, I feel it is my responsibility to be informed of what is occurring in Manchester's schools. What programs are available to my children? What courses are being offered? How are my tax dollars being spent? Although these questions can easily be answered by viewing the school's website or attending a school board meeting, I personally am not content to sit on the sidelines and observe. I want to have a say in the future of my children, and I want an opportunity to influence the decisions that affect all of our children.    

What are your key concerns heading into next year? What issues do you hope to address?

I have a few concerns, but first and foremost is the budget. While talking to residents throughout the township, I get the impression that they do not grasp the importance of passing the budget. Our district lost over $2 million in state aid last year, and as a result, 22 staff positions were cut (including coaches, teachers, bus drivers, and custodians). Instrumental Music and World Language were cut at the elementary level, and the middle school no longer has late buses for after-school sports and activities.

I am listing only a few of the total cuts, and by doing so, I want to demonstrate the impact on education that those few changes made. While talking to parents in the district, I learned that many students were unable to participate in middle school sports, because now that no busing is provided, the children have no transportation home.

Because staffing was reduced, programs were not only cut, but now the average class size has increased. In fact, Manchester has one of the highest student-to-teacher ratios in the state. Imagine how difficult it can be for a teacher to provide individualized attention to a student when she has 23 others vying for her time. The budget needs to be passed in April; if not, these small changes will continue to affect our children's lives in major ways.      

Budget cuts have been a problem for NJ schools -- how can Manchester schools ensure that students receive a quality education without putting extra strain on taxpayers?  

It is obvious that, financially, this is a difficult time for people. It should also be clear to anyone who reads the newspapers or watches the television that Gov. [Chris] Christie has made it his mission to cut funding to schools in this state. I sympathize when someone says that he can not pay another dollar in taxes. We are all feeling the strain; however, education is not the place to be cutting funds.

As an educator, I am told that I need to prepare my students for the 21st century; I need to get them ready for jobs that do not even exist yet. This is a daunting task. What makes it more difficult is that funding is not being provided by the state to purchase the technology required or to offer the programs needed to prepare our children for the future.

Students will always receive a quality education in Manchester because our district has some of the most inventive, creative, enthusiastic teachers who make the most of their resources. If I am asked to vote on a program or technological advancement that will make teachers' lives easier and improve the education of our children, even at a small expense to the taxpayers, my vote will always be for the children.  

Gov. Chris Christie wants to reform tenure. What are your views on how tenure should be handled?

As a teacher, and as the wife of a public school teacher, how tenure is handled greatly impacts my life. Do I believe that teachers deserve to feel a sense of job security? Absolutely. Should educators have to worry every June that they may need to find a new job? Of course not.

I do not feel, however, that tenure should automatically be granted after three years and one day, as is the current practice. Tenure should only be granted after a teacher has completed his or her required  Professional Development hours, and has demonstrated a pattern of commitment to the job and excellence in the classroom.

Gov. Christie has proposed the idea of merit-based pay, which, in my opinion, contains many flaws. As someone who has taught both high school and elementary classes, I can attest to the fact that a student will not succeed if he does not want to succeed.

Or, what about the student who has test anxiety and scores poorly? Can the teacher be faulted for that? If standardized tests are not given in Physical Education or Music Appreciation, how will those teachers be assessed? Perhaps tenure needs to be reformed, but I feel confident that Governor Christie's proposal is not the solution.   

What achievement are you most proud of?

I am proud of my achievements in education. I realized at a young age that I wanted to teach. I attended Monmouth University on a full-tuition academic scholarship where I received the Award for Superior Potential for Being an Outstanding Teacher.

Since graduating college, I have worked with children of all ages and academic abilities, and I felt the satisfaction of knowing that I have touched many of their lives in some small way. I look forward to continuing to impact students' lives as a member of the Manchester Township Board of Education.  

How can you serve the board and the residents of Manchester in a meaningful way?

Because my children are currently enrolled in Manchester schools, decisions made by the board greatly affect my family. When I am serving on the board and in a position to influence decisions, I will not only consider my own children, but I will consider all of the students of Manchester. Manchester has been my home for most of my 38 years. The township is important to me; the schools are important to me, and the residents are important to me.

I have the unique advantage of seeing issues from many different perspectives: I am a life-long resident of Manchester; I am a graduate of Manchester schools; I am an educator who formerly taught in the district; I am married to a Manchester Township teacher, and most importantly, I am a mother who cares about her children's education. Just as I would make a determination based upon what is best for my own children, I will base all of my board decisions on what is best for the students and residents of Manchester.