At the Request of the Roscommon Education Association, I've provided the following answers (the questions were sent to me via regular mail by the REA).1. As you view Roscommon Area Public Schools, what do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of the K-12 program? What would you do to maintain and improve the strengths? How would you address the weaknesses? I’ll start this response with a disclaimer. While I do have a handful of questions for which I would like answers, I’m also aware that some of my questions stem directly from a lack of understanding on my part. It’s very likely that some of my concerns have very easy, quick answers if asked of the right person.Some Strengths:
- We have teachers and staff who are passionate about their work
- We are providing a solid opportunity for students to gain an education
- We currently offer a wide array of extra-curricular activities
- As a district, we are on financially solid ground (relative to others in the region/state)
Hopefully this doesn’t sound like pure flattery, but I’m convinced the best thing our district has going for it is teachers and staff that are passionate about what they’re doing. Our kids are getting an education...of course that’s critical, but I like that teachers I’ve talked to are upset/concerned about issues far beyond their own personal responsibility. Some have hinted to me directly that they understand and would accept sacrifices in personal compensation, as long as those sacrifices are done in a fair and reasonable way. That’s a professional mind-set, and a great sign for all of us.At the recent public forum, I was approached by and/or overheard several school employees who were very concerned about the fairness of that forum’s exercise...teachers without direct ties to particular extra-curricular activities upset about the way those activities were apparently targeted during the exercise. I took that as a sign that we have a staff that is looking well outside their own personal area of responsibility.The Board can help maintain that interest by involving those concerned professionals in the decision process. We can maintain the trust of professionals who understand the (hopefully infrequent) need for self-sacrifice by not abusing that willingness to compromise.Weaknesses:
- Lack of options for high-performing students
- Pending budget (and program) cuts
- Social promotion for students at lower grade levels
I have concerns about the lack of options for students who excel at the ‘regular’ curriculum. From what I have learned, we do a good job of helping students at the lower end of the spectrum, and have specific programs (and money) to address some of their issues. However, we also have students, even in the lower grade levels, who frequently complete class assignments ahead of their peers. These students are typically rewarded with what amounts to free time, where they can read a book they brought along or otherwise occupy their time. I would love to see that kind of student challenged further and given a chance to reach their potential.I don’t have a magic bullet solution to this issue. Especially with the current budget situation, it may be difficult to find ways to address it. Further, since it’s not my area of expertise, I would rely on education experts to work out the best solutions...all I can do is ask the question and offer support.2. What do you believe is your most important role in being an effective member of the Board of Education? The RAPS board is, and will continue to be, faced with very difficult decisions related to financial cuts...I think everyone can agree that’s the most pressing issue at hand. To be an effective member of the board, I will have to be able to weigh every reasonable opinion surrounding those decisions and make the best possible choices. Put another way, being an effective member means trying to find all possible solutions, and choosing the best (or, sometimes, the least-bad) option from those.3. What role to you see Board Members playing in maintaining good morale in the district? The best thing Board Members can do is try to make sure everyone understands the reasons for a decision. Morale benefits from consistency in the decision making process, and knowing your opinion was considered in that process. Reasonable people understand that, in our system, decisions don’t always go the way you personally want them to...there is always an opposing opinion and argument.