Council Rock School Board Primary Election: Tracey Osecki, Region 1

Candidates running in contested races in the May 16 primary election have been invited to provide background about themselves and their positions on the issues to voters in these profiles, which will run in Patch individually for each candidate.

NEWTOWN, PA — Tracey Osecki is running as a cross-filed candidate for an open four-year-seat on the Council Rock School Board in Region 1. She is facing Republican Natalya Khavulya.

Biographical Information

Name: Tracey Osecki

Age: 36

Town of residence: Newtown Borough

Position sought: Council Rock School Board Director

Are you an incumbent? No

What Towns Does Your Position Cover? Newtown Borough Wards 1&2, Newtown Township Districts 4, 5 & 6.

Party affiliation: Democrat

Family: My husband, Jordan and I live in Newtown Borough with our two young children. Our daughter attends Goodnoe Elementary and our son will be a Goodnoe Kindergartner this fall. My husband is a software engineer and reminds me daily of the importance of STEAM for our kids and in our schools.

Education: I attended Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, where I received an undergraduate business degree and a Masters in Business Administration. I graduated with honors from both programs.

Occupation: I have worked in Private Equity analyzing the financial health of potential portfolio companies and managing employees and expenses of portfolio companies. I am an active community volunteer in Newtown Borough, serving as treasurer and co-chair of the Newtown Borough Parks and Recreation Board, overseeing the maintenance of our playgrounds and organizing community events like Movies in the Park, Arbor Day, Music in the Park, the Halloween Parade and caroling through the borough.

Questions

1. Why are you running?

I am a homeowner, taxpayer, and mother to two young children in our school district. Like many, when we moved to this area, we were excited that our children would receive a Council Rock education – and we paid a premium for it. I want our district to be known for the opportunities we offer our students and for their many accomplishments - not for extremism or discrimination lawsuits that have plagued some of our neighboring districts and endanger our property values. As school board director, I will be a rational voice for research-based best practices for policy-making and curriculum design. I support defined, measurable goals, compromise, respect, and transparency for our school board.

2. What are your top issues and how do you plan to address them?

I am concerned for our students. My decisions will always prioritize our kids – their emotional well being and their education. Every child should feel safe at school and have the opportunity to pursue their academic and personal passions, like sports and the arts. A Council Rock education should prepare our children to compete in any career or academic institution they choose. The pandemic has left our students with learning gaps and our district with staffing shortages. We need to work together to solve these problems, not finger point. Parents should be respected, teachers should be valued, and tax money should be spent thoughtfully and strategically. We need to model respect for each other so our children learn collaboration and problem solving for the real world.

3. What in your experience or background prepares you for election to office

I am concerned that school boards have become so divisive that they no longer focus on our local issues- our facilities, logical spending, and curriculum designed to prepare our students for their futures. In my career in private equity, I helped broker deals that had many stakeholders. I supported compromise and made sure every voice was heard and respected. I reviewed company budgets and contract bids, and I will be able to make sure our district’s funding is used wisely and for the benefit of our students. I am an active volunteer in our wonderful community. I am a Girl Scout leader and served as treasurer and co-chair of the Newtown Borough Parks and Rec Board. I have enjoyed giving back to our community in a tangible way that helps residents connect with one another, and I look forward to serving our community on the school board.