Kate Pascucci is a Democrat running for Bensalem Township School Board.
Why do you think you are qualified to effectively represent your community on the school board?
I am a former educator, with experience in both elementary education and special education settings. I also earned a Master’s degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. I have been an active volunteer in the community, currently serving as secretary of the high school drama boosters. Over the years, I have navigated multiple school systems as a teacher, a parent, and an advocate. In my professional role, I manage the business operations of a medical practice, ensuring careful financial oversight to maintain the success of the business.
All these experiences make me uniquely qualified to both understand and balance the different perspectives of all of our stakeholders in Bensalem.
Over the past few years we have seen attempts by some school boards across Bucks County, as well as Pennsylvania and the country, to either unilaterally ban books or make it easier for community members to challenge and have books banned, often by usurping the authority of librarians and administrative leadership. What is your position on book banning and how will you implement policies to support faculty and students?
If elected, I would ensure that our district’s policy on reviewing books includes a clear transparent process that protects the First Amendment rights of our students to read and learn and includes the input and expertise of our librarians and educators.
It is not the role of the school board to dictate curriculum and educational content. We are tasked with hiring professional educators and administrators to make these types of decisions. They are experts in child development and education. While it’s important to provide opportunities for community members to voice their opinions, it’s crucial for school boards to trust the expert voices on these topics.
Decreasing teacher and staff retention is also a growing issue school districts are facing. What is your role in the recruiting, interviewing and hiring process and what role can a school board do to reverse this trend?
Teacher and staff retention starts with fostering positive and supportive school environments. As a school board director, we set the tone for professionalism, accountability, and transparency at every level. It’s vital for school boards to cultivate relationships and connections with the larger school community to reverse these trends.
If elected, I would ensure that our district’s policy on reviewing books includes a clear transparent process that protects the First Amendment rights of our students to read and learn and includes the input and expertise of our librarians and educators.
What are the school board’s biggest challenges in the coming months; the next four years?
Our school district is feeling many of the same pressures as other public school districts across the country: a sharp increase in special education and charter school costs, along with inadequate funding from both state and federal agencies. Unfortunately, we also have an aging infrastructure with projected increasing repair costs. Our district spending will need to be restructured to balance the overall tax burden on our community and the need to improve and expand our spaces.
How will you work with administrators and fellow board members to address the district’s biggest challenges?
Our district is fortunate to have dedicated educators and administrators. What we need are policies and processes to ensure that decisions are made with long term sustainability and foresight into future needs.
I will advocate for formal policies to bring in educator input on all major issues impacting students and classrooms. I will also advocate for written processes for routine facilities maintenance and repairs.
BENSALEM CANDIDATE Q&A’s:
School Board Candidate Q&A: Rachel Fingles – Bensalem School District
School Board Candidate Q&A: Rodger Allen – Bensalem School District
School Board Candidate Q&A: Leann Hart – Bensalem School District
