Jason L. Kemp (D): Old Lyme Candidate (Incumbent) for Region 18 Board of Education
Biography:
Jason is a Family Relations Counselor with the Judicial Branch. He helps families work through a difficult time, keeping their children a priority as they move forward. Jason developed interest in working with families during law school. He has three children in his household, including two graduates of Region 18 and one in 5th grade. Jason has lived in Old Lyme for 14 years with his wife, Kimball Robbins. He has served one term on the Board of Education, including as chair. He wants to ensure that our schools remain the high-quality institutions that attract many families to Old Lyme.
1. Why are you running for the Region 18 Board of Education, and what skills or experiences make you the right candidate for that role?
I am running for reelection to the Board of Education after one term because I believe the experience I have gained in my first term can be valuable to maintaining our high-quality school system in a fiscally responsible manner with a focus on what is best for the children in our district. I have approached the role in a thoughtful, non-partisan way, learned from other members with different experiences and viewpoints, and taken advantage of training opportunities such as the annual CABE/CAPSS convention. My background and job experience as a non-practicing attorney working with families in the court system involves some of the same skills needed to analyze policy and proposals. Additionally, they have helped me to weigh competing viewpoints, ensure that everyone’s voice is heard, and guide the Board in reaching consensus during my two years as chair. As the only incumbent candidate for Board of Education in Old Lyme this year I believe I would do a good job welcoming new members of either party’s endorsement as they start their term and helping them learn the role.
2. In order of importance, what do you see as the top three challenges facing Region 18 over the next four years?
The first challenge I see is trying to keep expenses from increasing too much for the towns and taxpayers. As everyone feels inflationary costs in our personal lives hit harder, the schools are also facing higher costs for supplies and services. We have an amazing group of teachers and staff that deserve competitive pay commensurate with their work. Balancing those budget drivers with ways to keep costs down will be an important focus for the board the next four years.
Another challenge for the Board in the next few years will be ensuring special education needs are met for all students in a way that is both economical and thorough. Towns all over the State have been struggling with rising costs for special education outplacements. While the legislature has offered more cost-sharing, that does not kick in until a large amount is spent by the district. This district prides itself on having fewer outplacements than surrounding districts, but we must make certain that we truly are meeting the needs of our students if they remain in district.
While there are several other issues of priority for the Board in the coming years, technology is an important one. Specifically, we must keep an eye on how technology impacts our students’ emotional well-being and learning. I was included in a group of teachers, staff and students looking at policies for both teachers and students regarding artificial intelligence, a topic that touches upon privacy, artistic and scholarly creativity, equity, and morals. The Board has a role to ensure that AI is not being used as a substitute for critical thinking, while recognizing that it is something that exists and is growing in use faster than we can imagine. It can be a useful tool and is being used in many aspects of personal and professional life, but it should be used responsibly. As with social media, the lines are often blurred between what happens at school and home. The school system has a responsibility to keep students safe and teach students to be respectful to each other.
3. How can the school board help keep costs under control while maintaining the district’s reputation for academic excellence and extracurricular opportunities?
The District has done a great job of having many academic and athletic offerings despite its small size by seeking out options to share programs with other districts. That approach was also used for the Transitions program for 18-22 year old special education students, combining with Old Saybrook. The Board should encourage the administration to continue pursuing those options where possible, while also looking at ways teachers and staff can maximize offerings to students.
The District has generally kept increases in expenditures down, and changes in budget are often driven by bonding costs associated with larger projects. Most recently, the building project led to an increase to the budget. As a regional district, Region 18 is responsible for paying bonding costs. The eventual budget increase was much lower than what was predicted when the referendum passed town vote, but it is understandable that increases can create difficulties for the town budgets. While the town boards of finance had a few years to plan for the increase, Old Lyme had to utilize a tax increase to pay for its share of the budget this year. The goal of the Board should be to minimize increases to the operating budget in the years with the largest interest payments, as well as maximize the return to the towns at the end of the budget year.
That goal must be balanced with proper planning for the future maintenance and capital needs. The only way the regional district may save for future expenses is the undesignated fund, in which the Board can place up to two percent of the budget each year from any surplus that remains. Hearing concerns about the uncertainty of the undesignated fund, the Board this year has created a policy governing its use and amounts. The fund has been incorporated into the capital plan, soon to be a ten-year plan, so that the public can be aware of intended expenditures. Based on estimates of future needs the Board was able to place less in the fund this year to return more money to the towns.
4. Amid the ongoing national debate over parents’ rights, how should the Board of Education handle conflicts between parents and the district over curriculum, instruction, learning materials or student support?
It is important to note that the role of the Board of Education is strictly defined by the State. I would be concerned with any candidate coming in promising things to any particular side of a national social debate, as the Board should ideally be non-partisan and focused on supervising the superintendent, keeping policy in line with State and Federal laws, and keeping the budget responsible to all stakeholders. It is important to have members who will resist the ideological demands of a few parents to impose their wishes on all students, such as through banning books.
In a politically fraught time there are strong opinions across the political spectrum. The Board should be a good example for our students and engage in respectful discussion on the topics before it. I believe as a member and as a chair I have helped to encourage that positive behavior, while working with a similarly dedicated group of people these past four years. Parent input on relevant broader issues should be welcomed. An example of community involvement was the decision related to the music department in the past budget cycle. The administration recommended a change based on lower enrollment in high school and middle school, but community input led the Board to request alternative proposals from the music department. They were able to suggest ways to expand the music program in the schools through increased offerings that meet other curriculum needs of the students.
Overall, the schools should be focused on providing the best age- and developmentally-appropriate curriculum. The administration includes a curriculum director who ensures that teachers are using excellent peer-reviewed educational materials and technology, and the Board has been actively involved in requesting that those materials are all on a regular cycle of review. It is expected that, especially in high school classes preparing students for their future, teachers may touch on sensitive topics. The Board has recently updated policy on controversial topics in classes to ensure that students with varied positions are comfortable participating. A policy affirming that that district and Board are non-partisan was also recently reviewed and passed.