Meet School Board Candidate Jeanne Reilly

Jeanne Reilly

Age: 38

Family: I have been married to Jason Stern for 14 years and we have three children: Thomas, 10, Ellen, 9 and Fiona, 7.

Political party affiliation: Democrat

Tell us about your educational background: Bachelor of Arts - Haverford College Secondary Social Studies Teaching Certification Program - Bryn Mawr College Masters in Education - Lehigh University

Tell us about your professional/business background:

Prior to having children, I was a litigation legal assistant at Wiley Rein, LLP, in Washington, DC and a social studies teacher in Carteret, NJ. I then became a stay at home mom and a part-time SAT Prep/subject area tutor. Additionally, I completed my graduate degree at Lehigh University in counseling psychology with two internships. I volunteer at My Sister’s Closet in Bethlehem, St. Theresa’s religious education program, Hellertown Area Library as a trustee and treasurer, Saucon Valley Elementary and Middle Schools and for Saucon Valley sports associations. I am currently seeking employment as a counselor.

Why are you running for school board?

I am running for school board because I care deeply about the quality of education in our schools. As a parent of three school-age children, I am concerned about the focus and direction of the current school board. Parents are not well represented on the board and, as a result, board decisions do not often reflect the best interests of the students. I believe that strong schools are the basis of a strong, vibrant community. We cannot afford to allow the quality of our schools to decline.   

What qualifies you to serve on the board?

I have consistently attended Saucon Valley school board meetings for the last four years. As a result, I am familiar with the issues facing our current board. Also, I am an active volunteer in many facets of this community - Saucon Valley PTO & PTG, Hellertown Area Library trustee/treasurer, St. Theresa’s religious education program, and Saucon Valley Youth Sports Association. My volunteer work demonstrates the dedication and commitment I will bring to the board. Additionally, my graduate work has given me insight into the workings of a school district and the challenges that districts like Saucon Valley face.

What do you see as the board's primary role and responsibilities?

The primary role of the school board is to provide a quality education while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The school board must weigh decisions carefully with an eye on the future impact of these decisions.

What's your position on outsourcing school bus drivers' jobs?

I am wary of outsourcing Saucon Valley school bus drivers’ jobs. The promise of savings is appealing but the reality of the savings must be determined. Will Saucon realize a savings that outweighs the pitfalls of privatizing? I am concerned about the impact to services including athletics and educational trips, the loss of dedicated and familiar drivers and the irreversible nature of privatizing.

SV teachers went on strike in 2005, 2008 and 2009, and they are currently working without a contract. Do you support the pay freeze teachers have been asked to accept, along with other district employees? What do you think must happen to avert another strike?

My husband is a teacher at Saucon Valley Middle School. Therefore, I will not participate in any contractual negotiations, executive session discussions or votes regarding the teachers’ union contract.

Tell us about any other major challenges facing the school district and how you would address them. (Please be as specific as possible):

Saucon Valley is facing many challenges. The increase in PSERs contributions is a challenging situation. Unfortunately, this is a burden the board has inherited from the state and it is a situation that the government in Harrisburg needs to address. The school board needs to continue pressing for relief and legislation. Another concern is maintaining the physical plant. I will take a long-term view of the benefits and cost savings of improvements and updates to the infrastructure of the school buildings and grounds. School security is another issue. Dr. Fellin’s suggested list of security upgrades includes some expensive proposals. I want my children to be safe. However, I am also conscious of cost. The district needs to improve security but that does not necessarily entail selecting high price options that may not adequately protect the students and staff. For instance, I believe the entrances to the middle and elementary schools do need to be reworked to restrict the open access to the hallways. On the other hand, I do not feel that a single police officer covering three schools at a cost exceeding $100,000 is a viable option. Declining standardized test scores is a challenge as well. I would like to know the basis of this decline and will work to determine ways to halt the decline and raise scores. The demographics of Saucon Valley are changing and our approach to students and their needs will have to change as well. The board should support the efforts of the administration and staff in finding ways to increase student schievement.

How much are you spending to run? How is your campaign being funded?

When I filed to run, I signed a waiver that I would spend less than $250 and I intend to adhere to that. Thus far, I have not spent any money on this campaign. I am reusing signs from a previous campaign. I will fund any campaign spending.

What, if any, endorsements have you received?

I have not received any endorsements.

Do you use social media? If so, please provide links to your Facebook and Twitter.

I do use social media. I can be emailed at reillyforsvschools@gmail.com. The link to my facebook page is : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Reilly-for-SV-School-Director/213080308708218.