What is the biggest issue facing the...

What is the biggest issue facing the school district?

The biggest issue facing the school district today is how we are

going to maintain the outstanding precedents we have set for

ourselves in the face of declining revenues. We have both tremendous

teachers and programs, but both need to be free from the budget

crunches we face to keep them at their high standards. This will

take the cooperation of everyone involved, with the goal to give our

children the best education possible.

What can be done to keep test scores on the rise?

Keeping test scores on the rise is really as simple as giving the

teachers the resources they need to establish programs that are

geared toward the test-oriented results that everyone is concerned

about. I know that Circle View, the school my daughter attends, had

some of the highest scores in the district. I attribute this to no

more than her teachers doing an outstanding job. If you have a group

of dedicated and caring professionals, such as these fine people,

then there is no limit to what can be accomplished. But at the same

time, we need to be there for them -- maintaining communication and

community involvement.

What needs to be done to bolster the budget? What programs should

take priorities?

I’m not quite sure what can be done to bolster the budget, but

shouldn’t the question really be: “why can’t we make this budget

work?” Let’s face the facts, the entire country seems to be running

in the red. I think we need to take a hard look at what money we

have, where it is being spent and how we can improve the situation.

But we can’t put together a concise plan of action without a full and

honest picture of our current situation. We need the full cooperation

of the administration to allow us to see the whole picture, then we

can best decide which programs should take priority. I personally

would like to find a way to keep all of our programs intact.

Different children have different needs and one should not be more

important than another.

How can school board members better communicate with parents and

the community?

Communication is critical in these tough times. People need to

take the responsibility to find the source of information to keep

themselves current about what is happening in their schools, and how

it effects their child. I know that this is easier said than done in

today’s society. Let’s face it, most families have both parents

working just to stay ahead and try to give their families a little

extra. I know that the schools and the staff make a painstaking

effort to keep everyone informed and up to date, but the bottom line

is, some of it just falls through the cracks. One solution might be a

bi-weekly newsletter produced by parent volunteers to help keep

working parents informed. I honestly believe that there is no problem

that does not have an amicable solution. That is actually why I have

chosen to run for this office. If we keep the needs of our children

paramount in our decision making process there is really no limit to

what we can accomplish.