Q & A
Why are you running for school board?
Good schools are critical to the success of economic
development efforts locally. Good people follow good schools. Additionally,
in an unincorporated community the school board offers the only opportunity
to share municipal leadership skills. I'm ready to make a different type
of contribution to my community than what I have made so far.
Describe the top three educational challenges your
district will face in the coming school year and explain your strategies
to overcome those challenges.
Attracting and keeping good teachers and paying them
appropriately is a challenge everywhere and Oracle is no different. We
do have the additional challenge of being in a remote rural area. This
appeals to some teachers, but not enough. The Copper Corridor Economic
Development Coalition is looking at ways to offer incentives through local
school districts to help attract and keep good teachers.
Parent involvement is always
important and many of our parents must commute for several hours during
the week because the best jobs are in Tucson or even Florence. We must
create accessible and attractive ways for these parents to be involved
in the limited time that they have available. By acknowledging and accommodating
their schedules we may be able to increase awareness of school activities
and their participation in them.
While the bulk of the population growth in Pinal
County is in the west along the I-10 corridor our small communities are
growing nonetheless. Our district is geographically sprawling and pockets
of families are springing up. This growth must be matched by improved
and expanded facilities for these new students. Sooner rather than later
new buildings or even new schools must be considered.
What spending issues in your district’s budget
do you challenge and what would you do instead?
I believe our Superintendent has done a capable job
of assigning his limited funds to appropriate needs.
What effect has the emphasis placed on high results
on the AIMS test had on your district, schools and personnel? Do
you think it should be a high school graduation requirement?
The AIMS test has driven teachers to teach to the
test to the detriment of curriculum that could adapt to the pace of cognition.
One size never fits all and it is a disservice to measure children according
to an artificial calendar as opposed to one triggered by a local (in school)
readiness assessment. AIMS as a requirement of High School graduation
presumes that certain knowledge is necessary to reach everyone's career
goals. However, a student going into construction has very different scholastic
goals than does one seeking to become an engineer or architect. Tests
of knowledge and skill should reflect what the student needs to know for
his or her next steps.
Are you happy with the district’s sex education
policy? If so, why? If not, what would you want
to change?
Our District is engaged in a process to have a policy
that reflects both community values and state standards. I am satisfied
with the process.
What should your district do if anything to compete
with charter schools and private schools?
Rather than competing with our local charter school
our District should collaborate with them. In a free market there is room
to meet a variety of needs and it is neither realistic nor feasible to
think public schools can satisfy everyone.
Are you satisfied with the performance of the superintendent
and overall district leadership?
I am pleased with the Superintendent, but have concerns
about leadership at the school board. An Arizona law that went into effect
July 15 prohibits the sale of junk food and soft drinks during the school
day for K-8 schools.
Do you think your district should extend the ban
to high schools?
Neither the short term nor long term effects of junk
food have been adequately studied in young people. Anecdotal evidence
does indicate that youngsters are shortchanged nutritionally by junk food.
Damage is being done to our students when they do not take in enough nutritious
food to accomplish bone and brain growth. I would ban junk food at all
levels of public school.
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