Matthew Biniek for Kutztown Area School Board

About Matthew Biniek

Hello!

My name is Matthew Biniek and I am running for school director for the Kutztown Area School District in Region 2-Maxatawny and Lyons.

I am recently retired, but was a public high school science teacher and coach from 1989 to 2024 in the Wilkes-Barre Area and Fleetwood Area School Districts. Serving on the school board will allow me to continue serving quality public education and our community.

My goal is to put students first and ensure that a critical eye is placed on the decisions regarding which programs, facilities and services may be maintained, removed, or downsized due to the financial issues that have been plaguing the district, in hopes of maintaining the excellent educational reputation of the Kutztown Area Schools.

Education and Qualifications

I received my B.S. in Secondary Education from the University of Scranton in 1989 and a M.S. in Education, a specialty in Applied Classroom Technology, from Wilkes University in 1999. My teaching certifications are in Chemistry and Biology.

What skills, knowledge, and experience do you have to help you be an effective School Director?

In addition to 35 years of teaching, I have experience as a coach & theater director, providing me well-rounded knowledge of educational experiences. For more than 5 years I volunteered with the State Department of Education to evaluate the Biology Keystone Exam. I have worked with many principals & superintendents, assisting in course development, scheduling & professional development. I have kept abreast of developments in educational technology, including pedagogical & administrative systems.

Why are you running for School Director?

Serving will allow me to continue supporting public education & our community. In addition, the district has financial issues stemming from passing deficit budgets. I would bring a critical, informed eye to decisions regarding which programs, facilities, & services may be maintained, removed, or revised due to these financial issues, in hopes of maintaining the excellent educational reputation of KASD.

What do you see as the top 3 challenges facing School Boards? And how do you think the School Board should respond?

Funding is most pressing. The board should attend to the superintendent’s financial projections while working with faculty & the community to maintain crucial budget elements & identify elements that may be revised or removed. Bullying persists; the board should support programs facilitating communication, nurturing an environment where students are comfortable sharing their concerns. We also need stakeholders to better understand each other across differing political positions & experiences.

Do we need our schools to better prepare students with life skills for young adulthood – cooking, financial literacy, civic engagement, household problem solving, self reliance? And if so, how could the schools accomplish this?

Our schools should address life skills, & the State does require a financial literacy program. Independent living skills can be taught as individual courses or can be integrated as units into existing curricula. Both methods are challenging. Adding courses complicates scheduling & both approaches require teachers have time & resources to develop curricula without jeopardizing existing requirements. KASD should study approaches of districts that have successfully integrated life skills.

What is the place for Emerging Technologies (including AI & Zoom-type) in the classroom?

My M.S. in Classroom Technology & our educational organizations taught me that teachers, staff & students need to practice critical use of technology. For AI, this includes examining uses & limitations, attending to ethics, & knowing when use is educationally appropriate & when it may hinder development.Video conferencing was crucial during the COVID pandemic & now can be utilized for homebound instruction or allow students to take courses only available in other school districts.