Bensalem Candidate Profile: Stephanie A. Gonzalez Ferrandez

Stephanie A. Gonzalez Ferrandez is running for School Board Director in Bensalem Township.

Age (as of Election Day): 54

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Family: Married mother of two children attending our Bensalem schools.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?: My husband is an attorney at Federal Court in Philadelphia.

Education: Juris Doctor, Public Interest Scholar, University of Pennsylvania. Honora B.A. Social Sciences Swarthmore College. Rural public secondary schools central Virginia. Religious elementary school Tampa, Florida.

Occupation: Attorney Owner, Small Family Law Firm in Bensalem. PA Family Law Attorney 25+ years.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Bensalem Township School Board Director, elected 2017. Bucks County New Americans Commission, appointed 2020.

Campaign website: https://www.bensalemdemocratic...

Why are you seeking elective office?

I know our schools can do better and that I am equipped to help guide them as a member of our School Board. The majority of Directors lack the tenacity, vision, and commitment to proactively plan needed in order to achieve excellence. Bensalem schools have many strengths, but our prior rankings have lowered. Our graduation rates need attention. Communication is vital, but is frequently lagging in the District. I see the rejuvenation of middle schools infrastructure, examining elementary enrollment assignments, and bringing back supplemental publicly funded preK as immediate needs, but the majority has not pressed for them. I am seeking re-election as I feel my ability to contribute is not yet finished.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Bensalem’s most pressing issue is academic excellence and equity. We must meet every child where they are, devoting equitable resources and staff to struggling learners, but also challenging more advanced learners with quality curriculum and differentiation in the classroom. Our students' experiences and opportunities vary between schools, and even from class to class, creating inequities. Before I joined the Board, the prior majority made significant staffing cuts in 2017, cuts which still effect the District. We need to allocate funding in such a way as to increase the number of counselors, instructional specialists and aides to complement classroom teachers. We must also ensure that all teachers are equipped to engage in optimal curriculum instruction.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My professional experience and education make me qualified, but my passion and tenacity help me to excel. I am an independent thinker, not influenced by politicians who may view the District as a companion piece in a larger agenda. My own children attend our schools, giving me a personal stake in what happens, but I also advocate for issues affecting all of our children. Candidates seeking this office as a stepping-stone to higher office, running for interest in a single issue, or just because they like their community, have neither the ability nor inclination to do the job our children deserve. I never take the passive approach adopted by some. I roll up my sleeves, and have the confidence to take the bold steps our children need.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

I am an incumbent, but I feel like a challenger having been in the minority on the Bensalem Board for the past three years. Bensalem Township School District has many fine attributes and some talented staff. But the Board and District often takes a reactive wait and see approach rather than engaging in long-term proactive planning. Since our 2017 election, the two other minority party Directors and I have consistently asked the District to develop a five-year strategic financial and educational plan so that we can better meet the needs of our students and homeowners. This still has not occurred. Many Directors just wait and rubber stamp what the District brings to them.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Transparency is vital to a healthy organization. A lack of open and reliable communication breeds mistrust. Many students and families have difficulty communicating with the District due to language barriers and other challenges. The dissemination of central information is sometimes spotty or confusing. We also have a tremendous need for a long-term, economic plan. Such a plan should not only focus on cost-saving measures. For example, reducing staffing costs and outsourcing can be detrimental to a community. Instead, we should plan for success, seeking additional funding sources and optimizing in order to accomplish bigger projects. We must be mindful stewards of the taxpayer dollars and services we provide to the community.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I was raised by a caring single mother, but one without significant means. By grace, I survived cancer as a child. We were always economically challenged, but I took advantage of a great public high school and accomplished being the first person in my extended family to succeed in an elite college and law school. I personally know what is possible for the children in our schools. As a young attorney, I rose through the ranks of a non-profit agency and supervised a unit of attorneys and paralegals which served approximately 3,000 low-income clients yearly. I negotiated union contracts, wrote federal grants, and participated in budget processes, all skills I use as a School Board Director. I have worked in both the public and private sector and am now a small business owner. Both give me an understanding of healthy management and operational challenges. I also consider it both an honor and an accomplishment to have been able to volunteer for many years with the CLC Church children's ministry, BADGE, and school PTO's, as well as participate as a Ginny Lee Dance and Hulmeville soccer mom.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Do not sit quiet when you see injustice. Take care of those in need. Don’t waste a single minute of joy with your children because your babies will be grown before you know it. Get some rest!!

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Since 2017 I have been VERY hands-on Director. I have toured every school and I talk with staff. At meetings, I ask tough questions, seeking common sense answers. Prioritizing communication, I proposed the creation of the District PR & Outreach Committee, which led to our first open houses and budget roundtables. In my role as Chair of that Committee, I am always the Director on Facebook posting information and answering parent questions, big and small. On the Instructional Affairs Committee, I have advocated both for academic excellence and extra attention for struggling students. My interest and tenacity helped the District finally bring to fruition its Alternative School, Cyber School, Elementary LEGO Robotics District-wide, and, hopefully, summer programs for all of our students wanting to catch up due to COVID. I have the reputation as the Director who will not 'let it rest', but our kids need a bulldog. If our children soar, our whole community does.