Candidates in Washington Township outline priorities on budget, special education, and early-grade screen time

A candidates forum hosted by the Washington Township President’s Council and moderated by Sharon Suber of the League of Women Voters of Burlington County brought seven school-board hopefuls before local voters to outline their priorities for the Washington Township School District and respond to audience questions.

The forum opened with a read statement from incumbent Connie Baker, who was unable to attend in person, and proceeded through timed one-minute answers from each candidate. Candidates repeatedly placed the district’s budget shortfall and the need to restore public trust at the center of their platforms.

"We have to find a way to work it into the budget," candidate Sean Lindsey said of restoring middle-school sports that were cut, adding, "It should be funded by the school budget." Julie Kosinski, an incumbent, said bringing back middle-school sports would cost about $26,000 and noted that while that is a small portion of what she described as the district’s roughly $170,000,000 budget, every dollar is tightly constrained. Several other candidates said they would look for savings, vendor changes or outside partnerships to preserve extracurriculars.

On gate fees for high-school sporting events, candidates generally agreed that revenue should be reinvested in athletics. "When you have an enterprise account ... the money has to go right back into athletics," Kosinski said. Candidates said high-school gate receipts could not legally be diverted to middle-school athletics without a change to how enterprise fund restrictions are written or applied.

Special-education funding and federal policy changes drew concern. Multiple candidates cited comments from district leadership that there was no immediate indication of lost funding for special programs but urged vigilance and advocacy. James Massati said that, after a recent board meeting, administrators had told the board they had "no indications at all" that special-education funding was at risk this year. Julie Kosinski said she and the board agreed to send letters to New Jersey senators and the district’s U.S. representative to signal concern about potential changes to federal support.

The district’s approach to technology in early grades was the subject of sharp disagreement. Several candidates, including Kosinski, Brandy Williams and Ben Smith, said they opposed continuing the 1:1 iPad initiative for grades K–2 and favored reducing classroom screen time. "Early childhood is play based," Kosinski said, adding she advocated for limiting technology through at least grade 3. Others, including Terry Schechter, said technology is a tool that should be balanced with in-person instruction and guided by teachers.

Candidates addressed the superintendent’s contractual merit pay. Most said that if contractual goals were met the district should pay the award. "If it's in the contract and you satisfy it, you get paid," Sean Lindsey said. Several candidates added that goal definitions and contract language should be clarified in future negotiations.

Questions about board oversight, the line-item budget and strategic planning drew varied answers. Some candidates said board members should review line items closely and meet with the business administrator; others said the board’s role is to set priorities and hold administration accountable rather than audit each line. James Massati described his own work on multi-year financial projection and called for clearer 90-day goals tied to a longer-term plan.

Other recurring themes included rebuilding trust among parents, staff and the board; the importance of social-emotional supports and guidance counselors; and interest in career-technical pathways alongside college preparatory programs. Several candidates urged more community engagement and committee work to foster professional relationships among board members and administrators.

The forum concluded with closing remarks from candidates and reminders from the moderator about early voting (Oct. 25–Nov. 2, as announced at the forum) and Election Day on Nov. 4.

The Washington Township President’s Council and the League of Women Voters of Burlington County organized the event to help voters compare candidates seeking three open seats on the Washington Township School District board.