Cranford School Board Election 2022: Brett Dreyer

CRANFORD, NJ — Eight candidates are running for four open seats on Cranford's Board of Education this November.

There are three open seats on Cranford's board for three-year terms and one open seat for a two-year unexpired term. This seat is vacant due to the recent resignation of Maria Loikith from the board.

Incumbents Brett Dreyer and Patrick Lynch are running again to maintain their current seats on the board. Nicole Sherrin Kessler, whose term is also up this year, did not file to run again.

Candidates Brian Lopez, Susan Shaw, Thomas Grasso, Francis N. Riccio III, Christine Bradley and Jessica Soltys are also running for seats this year.

Brian McCarthy, who previously filed to run, withdrew from the race.

Patch asked all the candidates a series of questions ahead of the November election. (All of the candidates were given the same questions).

Here are candidate Brett Dreyer's answers below:

Brett Dreyer

Campaign website:

www.facebook.com/BrettDreyerforCranfordBOE

What office are you seeking?

Cranford Board of Education, 3 year term.

Educational Background?

Cranford High School graduate
Bachelor of Arts – Bucknell University
Master of Public Administration – Rutgers University
Master of Science in Accounting – Pace University

Occupation?

Earlier this year I retired from the federal government after 25 years with the US Department of Homeland Security. During the past 15 years I served as a senior manager supervising and overseeing 50-200 staff, at different points, investigating a variety of crimes, including human trafficking, child exploitation, drug smuggling, and cyber crimes, to name a few. My leadership experience in the federal government has translated well to my role on the Board of Education these past 3 years. Although some specifics may be different, the school district faces many similar challenges and issues I saw in the government, particularly in the areas of human resource management, planning and executing budgets, legal compliance, performance management, and strategic planning.

Now in my second career, I am a farmer and manager at my family’s business, Dreyer Farms in Cranford, which was founded by my great grandparents in 1904. Having grown up here and now working in Cranford, I am truly invested in Cranford and its long-term success!

Do you have a family? Tell us about them.

My wife Nicole and I have been married for 17 years! My daughter Ava is a freshman at Cranford High School and son Teddy is in the 6th grade at Orange Avenue School. I have a dog and 2 cats too!

Why did you decide to run for the Board of Ed this year?

I have served on the board the past three years and want to continue to serve our children and the community. I am a very middle of the road kind of person. Common sense and considering all points of view on an issue are what I am about. I’ve been alarmed the way boards of education across the country have turned into political battlegrounds. We need to focus on our children.

Have you previously run for Board of Ed or served on the board before?

Yes, I have been on the Board since January 2020.

What do you hope to accomplish if you are elected to serve on the Cranford Board of Education?

I want to continue to improve the quality of education for our children. Two main ways of doing this are to: A) ensure we have the best teachers and staffing possible, and B) ensure that schools’ infrastructure, resources and technology are optimized to give our kids the best chance to succeed.

What do you think is the most pressing issue for the Cranford School District?

Now that we are in the post-pandemic phase, we need to make sure our kids are back on track academically. Especially for the younger children that spent almost two years doing virtual or modified school. Our district’s teachers did an amazing job during the pandemic, but there is no substitute for in-person learning, without social distancing and pandemic precautions.

In addition, with continued housing developments in town, I’m worried that our aging school facilities are being stretched to the limit. A proposed referendum is being drafted to upgrade our school facilities and prepare us for the future.

What will you do to ensure that students feel safe at school?

Safety is a key issue for me, especially with my background working for the Department of Homeland Security for the past 25 years. If kids don’t feel safe, it's hard to learn. Security is not a static issue that has a one-time fix. Security requires constant re-evaluation, improvements and training. The Cranford Police Department has been an outstanding partner working with our schools and I will continue to support and advance that relationship to increase security measures. On the physical security front, the schools must continue to improve doorway and entry procedures as well as adding security video cameras and other measures. Our teachers and counselors have been trained and must continue to train in case of an event and to identify red flags or students in distress.

What is your stance on the new sex education curriculum that has been introduced by the state?

First, I support a parent’s right to opt their child out of lessons they would prefer to teach at home. Second, Cranford has a fantastic group of teachers and administrators that have a track record of using common sense when developing curriculum. Cranford revised its curriculum to meet the “new” sex education standards almost two years ago. So this updated curriculum is not exactly new to Cranford. I have not seen anything inappropriate or heard any specific complaints about material that is actually being taught in Cranford. I have seen people repeat things they have read about other towns or heard from political activists, but as far as what is actually happening in Cranford schools, nothing. My focus is what our kids in Cranford are being taught, not what politicians or internet personalities are discussing outside of Cranford. Concerned parents should talk to their teachers or school administrators to get specific details on the curriculum, in this and every other subject for that matter.

What is something new that you will bring to the Board in the coming year?

A good portion of my first term on the Board was spent dealing with the myriad of challenges brought by the pandemic, finding ways to educate our children during a historic event. In the coming year, I will bring a sense of urgency to addressing the long-standing issues we continue to face - safety, the question of offering full-day kindergarten, aging facilities, and improving academic achievement. These issues need to be front and center.

Anything else voters should know about you?

I strongly support extracurricular activities, sports and the arts inside and outside of school. These activities are critical for our children’s socialization and learning life skills. In the past several years, I have served as a Cub Scout leader and coached baseball. It’s so rewarding to see kids learn new skills, be active, and overcome challenges!