Candidate response to the LWV's questionnaire are published at Vote 411, I encourage you to read them all. Note that responses are limited to 750 characters which limits the ability to explore the complexities of the issues we are trying to address. My Responses are below, I've added comments in italics indicating important points I'd like to make but couldn't reasonably fit in the 750 character limit.
1. How would you address staff recruitment and retention
issues in your district?
On the board I’ve helped MG save hundreds of thousands in
facilities costs, making those funds available to spend in classrooms. When first elected to the Board, the district
spent more on utilities per student than 90% of Wisconsin schools, now that
spending is well below average. I’ve led
this effort because controlling non-educational expenses is key to maintaining
competitive salaries for staff.
But that’s not nearly enough. A rewarding work environment is essential:
Teachers need to feel valued, listened to and that their efforts can make a
difference in student outcomes. Just as
important is managing workloads. It is
demanding work, and teachers need to have time and energy to manage the
challenges of the job so we can excel.
Monona Grove continues to keep class sizes below average and maintains a higher ratio of classroom support staff (special ed. and educational assistants) because we believe this provides a better experience for our students. However it limits our ability to offer higher individual salaries.
I want to stress that the work done to reduce utility expenses was not mine alone, I want to recognize the buy in from the board and administration, as well as substantial community participation
2. Are there additional steps your district should take
to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all students and staff?
There has been a tragic increase in the rate of suicide
among young people in the last 10 years.
It is one of the greatest dangers facing our students and we have seen
it result in tragedy in schools in Madison. We need to continue to improve
access to mental health and resources that can identify and connect with
struggling students and redirect them before they become a danger to themselves
and others.
Children come to our schools as they are, not as some politicians think they should be, At this moment in history many of our students will feel devalued and even threatened. Expressing and demonstrating that each of them is unreservedly and equally included in our best efforts is the basis for a safe and respectful environment.
It's important to us all to remember that statistically schools are the safest place for children in the US. Despite the horror of school shootings and the attention they get, these are still rare events. We need to look closely at safety to use our resources most effectively. Can we improve safety more with metal detectors or by spending the same amount of money making student mental health resources available.
3. Given that Monona Grove School District’s fund balance is currently 4% of the operating budget, while Board policy requires a 15% fund balance, do you support any adjustments to Board policies and procedures for monitoring the District’s finances?
My objectives related to financial oversight include:
1)Evaluate recent failures and use what we learn to
evaluate, improve and codify solutions into district policy.
2) Establish trusted working relationships with key staff at
multiple levels so that the board, and public, have timely access to
information from multiple sources and perspectives.
3) Recruit community volunteers with financial
expertise to help evaluate and plan district finances and implement robust
procedures.
4) Return to a system with monthly financial review and
timely reporting of key fiscal and organizational metrics.
As chair of the board’s newly created Finance &
Operations committee, I can report significant progress towards these goals.
Financial oversight lies in the category of items that seems like you don't need as long as you have it, but as soon as you take your eyes off the ball you find you needed all along. Years ago the board got rid of its "Business Services Committee", responsible for managing financial oversight. I strenuously objected to that decision at the time, but was outvoted. With changes in leadership, I had been discussing bringing back this committee this year before we discovered the operating funds deficit. The oversight issues exposed precipitated the issue.
4. Is there another compelling issue on which, if elected, you think you can make a difference?
I anticipate the next several years will be beyond
challenging for many reasons: disruption of federal funding, major shifts in
the federal policies that guide interactions with disadvantaged students,
changes in our staff relationships due the to overturning of Act 10, financial
challenges due to slowing growth in our communities and changing demographics,
the increasing funding gap, and increasing teacher turnover and shortages. But the biggest challenge will be the need to
maintain focus on our mission of providing an excellent education for all
students while handling everything else.
I've worked in all these areas while on the board, I believe
that experience, and perspective, will make a difference navigating these
challenges.
This year is shaping up to be a doozy in terms of the challenges we will have to meet. The one that concerns me the most is that Act 10 defined the parameters of negotiating our compensation package. The overturning of Act 10 (and yes I agree it's unconstitutional, not just a bad law) will leave is with a legal vacuum that we are not going to be able to fill easily. I've worked through these compensation negotiations, including the repeal of Act 10, and I think we will need all the experience we can muster to work through it this year.
5. Describe your specific experience (educational,
occupational, civic, and community) that prepares you to effectively address
your priorities. Cite an example of how you worked productively on an issue as
an involved citizen or elected official.
I’ve served on the MG School Board since 2007. The
most important thing I have learned here is how very little anyone can do on
their own, but how much can be accomplished by drawing on the rich expertise
and capabilities found in the MG Community and District.
I’ve been successful using this inclusive strategy to help
the board manage important objectives, including reducing operational expenses,
improving sustainability, financial crises, infrastructure development and
employee relations.
In addition to my School Board service, I have private
sector senior management experience with a focus on process analysis and
product and organizational improvement. This experience helps me
understand and navigate the oversight of a complex organization, where I
emphasize robust processes that will result in good decision making.
I have lived in the district since 2003 and my 2 children
are graduates of the district, and we value the quality education that brought
us to MG!
