Bill Seesselberg
210 Oakland Avenue
South Plainfield, NJ 07080
(908) 756-0539 billseess@gmail.com
Age – 58
Freelance Video Editor and Director
Wife – Dianne
Sons – Jeffrey (Hofstra University, BA 2010)
Christopher (Senior-Montclair State University)
Children attended South Plainfield Public Schools K-12
Homeowner in South Plainfield since 1986
Attended South Plainfield Public Schools 1962-1972
Graduated South Plainfield High School 1972
Graduated Temple University-BA in Communications 1976
Member – South Plainfield High School Hall of Fame (2007)
Elected to first term on Board of Education 2009 - served on the Transportation Committee 3 yrs. (Chair 2010-2011) - Building and Grounds Committee, Policy Committee, Public Relations Committee, Administrators Negotiating Committee (Chair 2012), Van Drivers Negotiating Committee, Finance Committee.
Board representative on the District Technology Committee, Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, and liason to the South Plainfield Borough Council.
Produced and directed the 2008 SPHS Spring Musical, co-directed the 2003 SPHS Spring Musical
Served as Treasurer for the South Plainfield Boosters of the Musical Arts (one year)
Served as Treasurer for Middlesex County Republican Candidates (two years)
Organized and developed South Plainfield Summer Drama Workshop – 1973, and returned to manage the program in 1998 until 2003. Served as President and Treasurer.
Previously active in Boy Scouts, managing programs at the local and district levels.
Member of South Plainfield Public Celebrations Committee, 1983-1989—Chairman of the committee, 1984-1988.
Wrote the grant for the renovation of Edison Valley Playhouse, and managed the renovation. Currently President of Valley Playhouse Productions, Inc., the owners of Edison Valley Playhouse.
Accomplishments during my first term:
Participated in the hiring of our Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, and Business Administrator, bringing stability to our district by assembling a team that will guide our schools to higher achievement and potential in the future.
Participated in the hiring of content area Supervisors, Directors, and Coordinators to support our teaching staff in providing educational compliance with current state standards. This includes the addition of a Gifted and Talented Coordinator and Literary Coaches.
Participated in the hiring of a Supervisor of Technology from within our district that came from the classroom and understands what we need to move forward.
Supported an increase in our technology initiative-more Smartboards, introduction of iPads in the classroom and for administrative support, and continue to look for ways to increase the use of technology in the district.
Supported the district's Green Initiatives.
Worked to improve our facilities, including better interior lighting in the high school and middle school, improved our athletic fields, repaired our roofs, as well as continuing to monitor and repair all our buildings and grounds as needed.
Worked to obtain a safer stage for Kennedy School and repair and refurbish the stage floor at the high school.
Worked with the superintendent to return positions in the district, including the Cooperative Education teacher and program and Elementary Music teacher and program.
Reasons for running for the board:
I would like to see an increase in the use of technology in our schools-online classes, distance learning, use of the internet for research, and an increase in computer training for our students and staff—including programming and web development. This would include providing instruction, current software, equipment, and opportunities, such as on-site radio, webcasts, or television.
I would like to see our students participate as a school in competitions such as FIRST, International Thespian Society, academic competitions, and the like.
I can continue to bring some new ideas, or at least look for solutions to problems and opportunities with a different perspective.
All students should have a complete understanding of the coursework the schools provide, but also be able to understand personal finance issues such as managing a checkbook and saving accounts, credit cards and loans, and workplace paychecks and deductions.
At the high school level, a stronger concentration in world economics and finance needs to be implemented so that our students can understand today’s problems and future opportunities in the real world.
With the potential of reduced funding due to the current economy, every expense should be scrutinized and focused on how it can result in a better education for our students. This must be done a while keeping in mind the burden taxpayers must bear in sharing this cost.
This is the Board of Education—not the board of expenditures or the board of employment.
I will look for reductions in expenditures, such as continuing and expanding shared services with the borough government and surrounding school districts. Better use of experienced and trained teaching personnel, including the implementation of “cascading” instruction: when an individual teacher has received training that teacher will share the instruction with others who might need it.
I will look into alternative funding sources for educational purposes—grants, commercial and non-commercial funds. Also the development of other sources of revenue for the general fund or specific activities should be addressed, i.e. rental of athletic and auditorium facilities.
Extra-curricular activities are an important part of education, but cannot solely be dependent on funding from the Board of Education. The delineation between sponsorship and approval needs to be addressed. While every extracurricular activity should be approved by the Board in some way, the Board also cannot be expected to continually manage every detail of these activities. The assistance of support groups such as the Athletic Boosters or the Boosters of the Musical Arts and even the PTSOs and Student Councils are important and should be encouraged and expanded to keep the quality and end results at current levels or even higher. However, these groups must all work within the same framework. I will work with every support group in developing viable, equitable and documented procedures for fundraising, planning of trips, participation fees, purchases, and the transfer of funds and other support to their respective activities.
Proper management and use of all available resources is needed to ensure that the goal of the best education possible for our children is achieved.
If funding can be found, the position of Performing and Fine Arts Coordinator should be returned to the district to manage the expenditures, trips, facilities, and equipment of all the vocal, instrumental, theater, and arts curricular and extra-curricular activities in the district.
I have no personal agenda, and no personal connection to any school or school organization. No family member is an employee of the district, and save for one relative who works for Dell Computers, I have no connection to any vendor or contractor to the district.
This allows me to be focused solely on improved student education and opportunities available. I will be able to participate in all discussions regarding the operation of teh district, with no conflicts or need to recuse myself. South Plainfield deserves the full attention of all elected officials when they serve.
We have begun to see an increase in test scores, and with our newly written curriculum, we can now bring in updated books and other support materials to encourage classroom achievement. South Plainfield has the second lowest school budget in the county, and we manage our finances and district well. If we watch our revenues and expenses, we may end up with a surplus at the end of the year. While some of this must be set aside for required or future commitments, I recognize the desire to return some funds to the residents in the form of tax relief. Currently there is no mechanism to return any funds to the borough treasury for whatever reason, but surplus funds may be used to reduce any school tax levy required in the future.