Endorsement...NOT

So I did not get the endorsement from the RFT (Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers) I so far have not found anyone who did. I am guessing the incumbents maybe did? Don't know, but I'm sure I'll find out soon enough. Some people are telling me maybe it is better that I did not get endorsed. I'm not sure but I can only move forward from here. In case you are curious, here is how I answered their questions.

1. Why are you a candidate for school board and what are your qualifications?
I am a parent and someone who is extremely passionate about the continued success of the district. I currently have two children in the district. My daughter is in 7th grade at Plymouth Middle School and my son is in 5th grade at RSIS. I have been very involved in the school district for 7 years through various avenues. I have put the newsletter together, coordinated volunteers, been secretary, vice president and currently president of the PTO; I also co-chaired the South of the Border festival last year at RMS. The reason I chose to run is to increase my level of involvement. This past year’s school closings and the referendum experience has convinced me a new voice needs to be heard and I decided my voice might just be right.

2. How have we improved the public education system in District 281? What challenges remain? I think closing the schools and sticking with the fact that it needed to be done will eventually make a difference in the district as a whole.; I think getting down to the right size made sense. Although, I’m not certain that closing a middle school was the best choice, certainly by the meetings I attended at Plymouth Middle School they seem to have the larger population well in hand. I really feel confident the students will get a quality education there, although I admit I was worried about the larger size at first. I also like the work that is being put into improving MCA scores. From my experience, the students put in a lot of preparation last year in advance of the MCA tests. As to challenges, MCA scores still need improvement and I think the work we have already put in needs to continue and we may need to implement new programs or work with challenged students on a different level starting earlier. I also think getting things in order after the closing of the schools will take some time and that the more information folks have and the clearer it is, the better.

3. On which district and building committees have you served on?
I was on the referendum committees the past two years. After the first one failed, I honestly couldn’t wait to start on the next one to implement all the things that we learned. I’m so glad that the decision was made to go forward even though it was a Presidential election year. I also enjoyed the fact that the second time, the community was given more power during the process and that the district staff and school board distanced themselves. By doing so, they allowed the community to feel that it was “their” referendum and gave them ownership. I operated the database for the last campaign through some software we purchased called “The Databank” I think that software is terrific and potentially has a lot of uses even outside of campaigning.

Currently I’m on the Communication committee and the Calendar task force.

4. During time of tight revenue, what solutions would you propose? I think looking at expenses in a whole new way is called for…look outside the box. Find savings in new ways and also definitely unload the buildings that the District no longer uses as maintaining them I’m certain is costly.

5. How do you believe District 281 can meet the challenge of attracting and retaining quality employees? I think we already have some of the highest quality employees and I mean that. I have run into very few people who I don’t consider to be exemplary from the Superintendent on down. As to keeping these folks, I think we need to work hard to communicate with the employees so they know where things stand and do not resort to the rumor mill to find the answers. I think making the District’s reputation stronger throughout the State will attract even more quality employees. I think that comes from keeping up the communication of our great successes to anyone who will liste.


6. What do you see as your role in directing administrative staff, including the Superintendent? I see my role as an advisor along with the rest of the board. I am never afraid to share my opinion on any subject. I enjoy writing and would love the opportunity to help with editing messages and help to mold policies as far as the board’s authority would allow. I assume we would continue the monitoring of the Strategic Plan and the progress it continues to make.

7. What role did you play in representing our district at the legislature this past year? I wrote several letters to the Governor about my concerns regarding any cuts to Education spending. During the course of the referendum campaigns I met Sandra Peterson and Ann Rest with whom I expressed my feelings on Education funding and its importance both in our district and to the entire Education system.

8. Would you support contracting with outside providers such as Teach for America to hire classroom teachers? I’d need to hear more about why we think that is necessary. My initial reaction would be no. I feel we have the ability to handle our own hiring and cannot see a logical reason to pay someone else to do it. My feeling on consultants in general is that if you can do it yourself, why would you want to spend money on an outside person? I do see the logic in it occasionally, such as the communication audit that a consultant was hired to do. I felt that was beneficial particularly because the district has a small communication staff and has no time to do such a complex audit. However, something like hiring is a lot more personal and I think keeping that internal makes a lot more sense.

9. Do you have an organized campaign? How is your campaign structured?
Truthfully, this is my first time running and I am learning as I go. I have some folks that have offered to help me, but as to a formal “Campaign Manager” and “Campaign Staff” the answer is no. I also do not have a slogan although my daughter, who has declared herself my Campaign Manager has come up with some lovely ones. I plan to put together some literature and hand it out at conference time and if finances allow also distribute some door to door. I also intend to get a few signs to put in strategic areas closer to the election.

10. Do you have other thoughts you’d like to share with us?
Only that I pondered running for a long time, not because I didn’t want to do it, but because I know it won’t be an easy thing to accomplish and I wanted to give it my best effort. I feel I can do it this year because my children are getting older and I am doing less volunteer work at the schools and have more time to devote to campaigning and if I am elected to serving on the board. The time I have spent in the company of the current board members and the district staff have made me realize that working with those folks on a higher level would be a really wonderful experience.