Four candidates are battling for two seats on the Indian River School District School Board in the May 9 election. We offered the candidates an opportunity to discuss their views.
District 3
Randall Hughes
Q: Why are you running for the board and how are you qualified?
Randall HughesA: I am a product of the Indian River School District and an avid supporter of public education. I would like to be a member of a team that ensures that public schools not just survive, but thrive. Mediocrity has been the down fall of excellence. I believe that all children can reach higher educational goals if given the opportunity, resources and support. To this end, I feel the school board should work together with students, parents, teachers, administrators, and the community to identify methodologies to meet our desired objectives. My children and all the students in the Indian River School District deserve the opportunity to reach their educational goals. By working together and providing a quality education, we can ensure success for our children and our community.
Q: What is your opinion on the prayer suit facing the board?
A: This is a difficult question to answer since the board is currently under a gag order from the federal court. However, I will simply say that based upon the facts that I have been privy to, I believe the Board of Education acted appropriately when it voted not to accept the settlement offer.
Q: A successful referendum seems to have solved the current energy problem. What can the board do to prepare for or when faced with potential future increases in energy costs?
A: The school board and the administration of the district have in fact begun to explore potential methods to reduce our future energy expenditures. One approach we are pursuing involves partnering with state, county and municipal governments, as well as other school district to purchase electricity at a lower rate. As many of us are aware, the average residential electric rate increase will be approximately 50 percent. However, the rate increase for large users, such as the Indian River School District, will be nearly 110 percent. By joining with several other larger electric users, we can capitalize on deregulation by accepting bids from other electric producers.
In addition, utilizing energy efficient appliances and fixtures will also help with our energy conservation programs. As appliances and fixture need to be replaced through normal attrition, more energy efficient models should be utilized. Furthermore, we need to educate all employees of the Indian River School District of energy conservation techniques. Finally, routine maintenance of the HVAC systems in our schools should be a priority. Well maintained equipment is a proven method of conserving energy.
Q: In your opinion what program’s funding should be cut first to deal with such expenses and why?
A: Organizations that are operating efficiently are constantly looking for ways to maintain expenditures and yet achieve the highest results. I believe the Indian River School District should utilize zero-based budgeting. That is, each year every budgetary item should have to be justified and held accountable. If this technique were used, those programs that did not meet the desired goals could be re-evaluated to ensure their necessity. However, if budgets cuts become necessary, then the board of education should examine all budget items in order to locate areas that could be cut without sacrificing the quality educational programs the residents of the district demand and deserve. I do not believe that any single program should bear the brunt of the budgetary axe, but rather, incremental downsizing of several financial expenditures, i.e. programs, would result in the desired percentage decrease.
Q: What is your opinion of full-day kindergarten?
A: The concept of an all-day kindergarten seems to be sound for many students. However, not all students are developmentally ready to begin a full day of school at the age of 5. I believe we should work to find a solution that allows parents and educational professionals to identify students that would benefit from an all-day kindergarten program. By adopting this type of policy, we would be able to involve parental input and better serve our children.
As a practical matter, all-day kindergarten classes create some logistical problems. For example, having all-day kindergarten classes will increase the number of kindergarten teachers by 100 percent. Half-day classes permit one teacher to instruct two classes per day, whereas, full-day kindergarten will require two teachers to instruct the same number of students. Classroom space is another challenge that most be overcome, since two classrooms will be required to house the same number of students. Funding for this initiative is not 100 percent; therefore, a portion of the funding will come from local tax dollars.
Q: What should the board do to continue to ensure that teaching salaries in the district remain competitive with surrounding districts?
A: The hiring and retention of quality teaching professionals is a concern for our district. Moreover, the hiring and retention of quality employees for all organizations, both public and private, is paramount to their success. If we were to examine organizations that have successfully retained a quality workforce, we would quickly learn that the environment or culture of the organization is the key to success. With this mind, I believe leadership is vital to providing an atmosphere in which all employees are a part of the team and maintaining focus on our mission. Now, with that said, there are a few basic needs that must be met before anyone will want to be a part of our team. One of which is financial compensation. Recently, our community supported a referendum that raised taxes in order to increase the compensation for all district employees. I realize the increase may not be substantial, but more important, is the message the Indian River voters sent to its educational professionals. Our community realizes the importance of quality education and is willing to pay for excellence. I see the passage of the referendum as an opportunity for the district to enhance our relationship with the community, create a more favorable working environment, and build trust between the community, educational professionals, and the school board.
Q: What is your opinion of the Delaware Student Testing Program?
A: I am hard pressed to believe that any single test in a given year is a good indicator of a student’s progress. However, with that said, I do believe accountability is an important concept and should be explored. When I speak of accountability, I am not referring to disciplinary or punitive actions towards teachers or students. But rather, a method of assessing how our students are learning and how our teachers are instructing. This assessment then could be used to modify our practices to better serve our students. It does not seem logical or practical to use the results of any single test to determine a student’s educational achievement or a teacher’s ability to create a learning environment. I would prefer to see a variety of assessments that measure children’s growth throughout the year.
Q: What is your opinion of the corporal punishment bill introduced in Delaware that would allow school districts to physically punish students with parental approval?
A: The current bill introduced in the House of Representatives is merely enabling legislation. That is, if passed by both the House and Senate, school districts would have the ability to utilize corporal punishment only with the consent of the student’s parents. Certainly, I do not advocate corporal punishment for most cases. Decisions need to be made on an individual basis. However, the current bill gives the local school boards some autonomy and discretion. I believe any disciplinary action undertaken by the school should involve parental input. It would be my desire that most cases be resolved without resorting to corporal punishment. The pending legislation gives schools in Delaware another technique in which to handle disciplinary situations.
Wilbert Laird
Wilbert LairdQ: Why are you running for the board and how are you qualified?
A: I am running for the Indian River School Board, representing District 3, to fulfill three objective levels — a personal, philosophical and a professional interest.
Personal Interest
My wife is a retired teacher of over 25 years in the Virginia school system. We have discussed what the needs and concerns of the professional teachers are and the challenges they face on a daily basis. I also have a daughter who is both an elementary school teacher and a mother of two bright daughters and students in the Arizona schools. As a former part-time university adjunct professor, I have first-hand experience with the importance of both written and verbal communications, lagging math skills, ill-prepared students and the benefits of exposing students to extra-circular activities. The public schools have an obligation of not only drilling the mechanical skills of reading, writing and arithmetic, but also to offer activities that expose students to civic and social responsibility, a broadening of perspective through art and science programs and a cooperative spirit and individual pride instilled by competitive athletics.
I am a retired federal official that chose to relocate to the Sussex County-Indian River based on the area’s high quality of life. My viewpoint is not an isolated one; the county has experienced an estimated 34 percent increase in population since the 2000 Census. Many of these new residents are retired from larger metropolitan areas that offer a wide range of professional services and healthcare. These new residents expect similar levels of services to be offered in their newly adopted community. The single most important factor most professional families use to evaluate attractiveness of relocation areas is the quality of the school system. For Indian River School District to enhance its attractiveness to families of medical professionals, the School District must offer the best learning environment for their children as is possible. In order to enhance and maintain quality professional services to the community, it is my belief that the community must offer an attractive educational system that is competitive with other areas.
Philosophical
This is not the only reason that both new and existing residents have a major interest in the quality of the local schools. Participating in the life of our schools provides a real sense of establishing a generational legacy. My generation has an obligation to the following generation to provide the best opportunity to achieve in a very competitive working world. The Indian River Schools are preparing the future citizens and leaders of our community, state and nation. I realize that the very core of our society is being formed and reinforced in no small part by the professional educators in our schools.
Professional
The current School Board’s apparent operational mode is not fulfilling their responsibility, by reacting to problems rather than planning for change. I am offering my experience in program and project management, budgeting of large organizations and my understanding of current and future challenges faced by the nation’s next generation of citizens and leaders to enhance the policy formulation, operations oversight and strategic planning for the Indian River School District.
Q: What is your opinion on the prayer suit facing the board?
A: Using public funds to continue a defense of an IRSD school policy that is contrary to federal and state law is, in my estimation, improper. The IRSD Board should reverse their decision to settle the suit and focus upon instituting lawful school policies and appropriate actions that will place the priorities of public education in proper perspective.
Board members as individuals or individual district residents who feel strongly about the issue in question are noble in their strength of conviction, but to use public funds or resources to seek rectification of laws with which they disagree is not appropriate. They should demonstrate their conviction and show value to their cause by directing their campaign to the proper authority, the legislature. The IRSD Board has no authority to decide what laws they will abide and those they will ignore.
Q: A successful referendum seems to have solved the current energy problem. What can the board do to prepare for or when faced with potential future increases in energy costs?
A: Much to the contrary of public statements by the current board, the financial situation is the direct result of the Board’s decision and their inability to act responsibly. My approach to the situation would consist of the following steps.
Call for an independent audit of the school district financial records and make a public disclosure of the results.
Institute and reinforce a cost accounting process.
Establish and reinforce a clear and unambiguous multi-year budget planning process that anticipates rather than reacts to change.
Institute a professional project management discipline and structure for current and anticipated capital Improvement projects and impact of demographic changes.
Review the district’s administrative and management structure with a stated intention of consolidation and a full exploitation of technology to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Examine possibilities of increasing contract services for those skills and tasks that are not regularly part of delivering quality education to the district students.
Evaluate common services among district schools that can be consolidated or coordinated between schools.
Promote an initiative to evaluate current service contracts, re-evaluate the services for consolidation, renegotiate contracts and open procurement to greater competition.
Q: In your opinion what programs’ funding should be cut first to deal with such expenses and why?
A: The Indian River Schools are in the business of rendering a service to the community that impacts the future of individuals, community, state and nation. We must recognize that the students and their parents are both our customers and the owners of the schools. The teachers and staff are the single most important element in delivering those vital services to our customers, the students. The district administration is charged with coordinating the resources to ensure effective and efficient delivery of service. The Board must recognize their role as analogous to that of corporate boards of directors, representing the owners, setting overall operation policy and guidelines of performance and providing a strategy for success.
Addressing financial shortfalls by terminating vital services to the students is a self-defeating approach. As seen in all service organizations, some programs have few constituents or offer limited benefit. The Indian River School District employs a cadre of highly motivated and experienced professionals. I would rely upon their recommendations as to where programs can be improved through multi-school consolidation, more efficient use of resources in delivering services and how best to evaluate the educational requirements of the student body. My approach to program evaluation is to determine the need, identify the programs that meet that need and to examine the population and where those groups are located in the school system. Changes will then be considered only where the need is low, the population is limited or where the benefits are insignificant.
Q: What is your opinion of full-day kindergarten?
A: On Aug. 9, 2004, Gov. Ruth Ann Minner announced the names of nine school districts and one charter school who will receive funding to implement full-day kindergarten pilot programs in their schools beginning the 2004-2005 school year. Indian River was one of the nine receiving the funds. The Delaware Legislature approved $1 million in budget year 2004-2005 funding to pilot and evaluate a full-day kindergarten program in up to 10 schools. The funding was available on a competitive basis to school districts and charter schools for both existing and newly proposed full-day kindergarten programs. The Department of Education worked with Dr. Michael Gamel-McCormick and the University of Delaware’s Center for Disability Studies to evaluate the 10 pilot programs. Areas evaluated include child achievement, instructional practices, parent and teacher satisfaction, and impact on children’s ability to handle a full-day program. Although I have not seen Dr. Gamel’s evaluation, I would focus on that result and other collaborative research to make a recommendation. I would be open to continuing a pilot program in selected schools that have the facility available and meet the demands defined by the Department of Education evaluation. Any pre-school services offered should contribute distinct advantages to the school system as well as the students. I recognize that extending kindergarten services help in identifying students with learning or behavioral disabilities. Diagnosing and taking appropriate action early in students’ life will avert much more complicated and expensive remedial action later. In addition, my recommendation would be contingent upon continued state funding of the program. One study that appeared in Early Childhood Research Quarterly in 1992 by Cryan, Sheehan, Weichel and Bandy-Hedden titled “Success Outcomes of Full-day Kindergarten: More Positive Behavior and Increased Achievement in the Years After” confirmed a positive relationship between participation in full-day kindergarten and later school performance. After comparing similar half-day and full-day programs in a statewide longitudinal study, Cryan et al. found that full-day kindergartners exhibited more independent learning, classroom involvement, productivity in work with peers and reflectiveness than half-day kindergartners. They were also more likely to approach the teacher and they expressed less withdrawal, anger, shyness and blaming behavior than half-day kindergartners. In general, children in full-day programs exhibited more positive behaviors than did pupils in half-day or alternate-day programs. James Elicker, Purdue University assistant professor of child development and family studies offered that, “Today’s kindergarten curriculum is more academic and skill-oriented than 25 years ago.” Elicker found that report card progress was higher among children in full-day kindergartens, and parents and teachers said they felt that children in the full-day programs were better prepared for first grade. Despite the apparent benefits of full-day kindergarten programs, Elicker cautions that if he were a school administrator, he probably still would give parents the option of a half-day, adding, “Some parents still felt that they wanted to ease their children into the school environment and that a half-day kindergarten was best for that child. Others point out that learning experiences can also happen in the home, outside of school.”
Q: What should the board do to continue to ensure that teaching salaries in the district remain competitive with surrounding districts?
A: My proposed approach to hiring and retaining qualified teachers and staff is composed of three fundamental components. This is a comprehensive plan that will have some immediate positive effect; however personnel challenges must be addressed by systemic changes that take time to implement. The sooner one starts the faster the positive results are realized. The three components are:
Compensation and benefits
A commonly used method to enhance competitiveness is to implement a “best practices” process to establish appropriate compensation and benefit levels. Our district is in competition with other school districts in attracting qualified personnel, studying what they are doing and making their approach ours will go a long way to improve our ability to attract and retain the talent.
The passing of Referendum Question 2 by 56 percent of the voters demonstrates a positive public response toward fairly compensating our teachers. The next vital and responsible step is to establish a budget process that makes salary and cost of living raises part of the annual budget review and not politicized by referendum votes
Working Environment
Use a study of “reasons for leaving” gathered as part of exit interviews or follow-up questionnaire responses from past resignations to recommend changes to our work environment.
Improve communications between board members and those they represent through
Board member meetings with Parent and Teacher Organizations;
Members open request for invitations to teacher meetings; and
Members making regular visits to the district schools.
As a member of the Board promote a policy of greater school autonomy that recognizes the professional judgment of the school principles and staff to adjust tactics to changing and unique situations.
Advocate and seek out methods to establish or reinforce practicum associations with colleges and universities in order to promote IRSD to education students.
Explore policies and practices that will open opportunities for the qualified retired community to assume full, part-time or substitute positions.
Examine marketing opportunities and events that can be used to increase the public appreciation of teachers and their vital role in the community.
Professional Advancement
Advance policies that will enhance professional development opportunities for teachers and staff.
Encourage extra-curricular activities by strengthening the compensation options offered to interested teachers.
Examine opportunities in the private sector to collaborate with the schools in supporting professional development activities for teachers and staff.
Q: What is your opinion of the Delaware Student Testing Program?
A: The federal government offers to the states many major education-funding programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as amended by No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Dr. Jacquelyn C. Jackson, director of Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs, U.S. Department of Education, stipulated standards and compliance requirements to be followed by the nation’s public school systems; “Under NCLB, a state must implement a single, statewide accountability system and make an annual determination of whether each public school, both schools that do and do not receive Title I funds, has made Adequate Yearly Progress.”
Delaware State Education Department is complying with the requirements of the NCLB by establishing a state-wide testing program. Failing to do so would jeopardize the federal funding so essential to our state’s public education system. Furthermore, the tests offer our professional educators and the school administration a valuable component for evaluating the performance of our schools and educational programs.
Q: What is your opinion of the corporal punishment bill introduced in Delaware that would allow school districts to physically punish students with parental approval?
A: I was disappointed to see the introduction of House Bill 376, reinstating corporal punishment in our public schools. Delaware advanced beyond the 18th century a few years ago by rejecting corporal punishment as a method to maintain discipline in our public schools. Nationally, many organizations have lobbied to abolish this practice; these include eminent professional groups represented by the American Academy of Pediatrics, National Association of School Psychologists, National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse and National Teachers and Educators Union.
Hidden behind offering parents an option to authorize corporal punishment is an environment where preferential treatment is likely. An independent examination uncovered examples where two children punished on the same day; the paddled child was permitted to return to class while the child whose parents did not permit this abusive treatment was sent home, suspended and prohibited to make up missed the work. This showed a clear preference or bias against the children of the parents who exercise their parental right not to have their children subject to physical harm. The possibility of uneven handling of behavior modification is abhorrent to all the principles of sound educational policies and practices.
Even the trying physical and mental training of the U.S. Marine Corps has rejected corporal punishment in their boot camp regime. In addition, the federal prison system has prohibited corporal punishment, except in cases of avoiding physical harm to guards or inmates. Our public schools must give the children better protection against physical harm than that offered to our soldiers or our incarcerated criminals. Schools must demonstrate to the students in their care proper decorum and respect for authority by using proper humane methods that reinforce respect for the individual. Children coming from unhappy home situations have, in many cases, suffer from physical abuse. The public schools should give a better model of authority and civility when attending school.
District 4
Charles Bireley
Charles BireleyQ: Why are you running for the board and how are you qualified?
A: I have served as a board member for 29 years. I would like to continue to ensure completion of our building renovations. In my opinion, this is the top priority in our district. I have served on many committees during my tenure. I represent the district on the statewide legislative committee. Locally, I am a member of the finance, building and grounds, calendar and negotiations committees. I am current board president. I feel that I am very qualified to continue as a board member.
Q: What is your opinion of the prayer suit facing the board?
A: I supported the district prayer suit against the ACLU. I am not allowed to comment further because of the advice of our attorney.
Q: A successful referendum seems to have solved the current energy problem. What can the board do to prepare for or when faced with potential future increases in energy costs?
A: We have an energy conservation plan in place. All of our buildings have been doing a great job when it comes to energy. We turn lights and computers off when not being used. We practice car pooling and anything that will help us conserve.
Q: In your opinion what program’s funding should be cut first to deal with such expenses and why?
A: We should take a look at all of our programs to see if any cuts can be made. We have done that this year and, I feel, successfully. The last things to be cut are the programs that have a direct impact on the students. This should only be done at last resort.
Q: What is your opinion of full-day kindergarten?
A: I support full-day kindergarten as long as it is on a voluntary basis. Each parent should decide if they want their students to attend half day or full time. This should not be another unfunded mandate from the Department of Education. If the state wants to implement any new program they should pay for it. It will cost millions of dollars for the Indian River District to start a full-day program. We will need an additional 20 teachers and more money for supplies. We would also have to begin another building program because we do not have the space to go to full-day.
Q: What should the board do to continue to ensure that teaching salaries in the district remain competitive with surrounding districts?
A: We have been working closely with the teachers’ organization during negotiations. It has always been my suggestion to tell the IREA the amount of money we have and let them input as to where it should fit into the salary schedule. The experienced teacher should receive the greater part of the pay raise.
Q: What is your opinion of the Delaware Student Testing Program?
A: I have never agreed with it fully. It puts a tremendous amount of stress on the students and the teachers. There are at least four bills in the Delaware legislature at this time to either modify or eliminate the state test. I feel that they are doing the right thing by looking at other ways to assess the students’ knowledge.
Q: What is your opinion of the corporal punishment bill introduced in Delaware that would allow school districts to physically punish students with parental approval?
A: The corporal punishment bill as I understand it is only for students who give the districts the right to administer it. I feel that parents should make that decision and not politicians or administrators. If it is with parental consent only, then I approve of the bill.
Jackie Wilson
Jackie WilsonQ: Why are you running for the board and how are you qualified.
A: I did not make an impulsive decision to run for the school board. I have been a public school educator for over 30 years. I have been a paraprofessional, teacher, reading specialist, assistant principal, and principal in the Indian River School District. I have worked at the Delaware Department of Education as the Director of Professional Accountability. I have been director for graduate education programs at Wilmington College and currently at the University of Delaware. My professional life has been dedicated to the education of children and supporting families in this community and in this state. I want to continue to serve my community by serving on the school board. My experience in public and higher education has taught me one thing: education can not remain stagnant. What I mean by that is that education systems must keep up with the times we live in. The school system must respond to the growing demands by business leaders who are demanding a well-educated workforce. The economy of the state is dependent on the quality of our schools in preparing workers for tomorrow. If our schools do not respond to this, we will continue to lose businesses, and therefore jobs for Delawareans. I would love to participate in setting the vision for the Indian River School District for the next 10 years. I believe in developing a strategic plan with goals and targets for measuring success. We need to be proactive and move forward with progressive ideas that will prepare the students who graduate from our schools with the knowledge and skills to be successful with their career choices. We live in a growing community which is changing daily. I want schools that prepare our students to be good citizens who graduate and can get good jobs or go on to higher education. I want schools that prepare our children to compete in an economy that is increasingly more global. I want great teachers and principals because student achievement is contingent on the quality of the teachers and the principal. I care about the Indian River School District — the children, the staff and the community. I want to help shape policies that will lead this district to “greatness.” Public education is my passion.
Q: What is your opinion on the prayer suit facing the board?
A: It has always been my experience that you do not give an opinion without all the facts. The issue regarding the board’s decision to move forward in defending itself against the lawsuit is no different. It is hard for me to give an opinion since the matter has been discussed exclusively in executive session by the Board of Education and their attorneys. What I know is what has been reported in the newspapers. I have not been privy to the discussions held in executive session regarding what the lawyers advised and what demands were made in the lawsuit. Until recently I did not know what advice the board was given by their attorneys. We can only hope that the Board gave the legal advice provided by their attorney’s full consideration prior to voting on this matter. The decision made by the Board of Education has been made and the settlement rejected. It is unlikely that the attorneys representing the other side would approach the Board of Education a second time offering a settlement. Even in the event that should occur, it would require a majority vote of the Board of Education in order to accept such an offer.
Should I be elected to the Board of Education, I will give this matter the same serious consideration as the current board. I will weigh all the evidence presented. I will consider all the facts. I will consider the likelihood that the district can win the case should it go to court and the financial risks to the district should the case go to trial and the district loses the case. It has been estimated in some circles that the potential costs to the district should they lose this case could be in the millions of dollars, not counting attorney fees. Given this potential liability, I will assure you the case will receive my utmost attention. It will be my obligation to do so. Not doing so, exposes the district to financial ruin should we lose a multimillion-dollar lawsuit and the insurance company refuse to cover this expense — a real possibility.
The ramifications of this case are profound for the district and are personal to many concerned citizens in the community. Some see the lawsuit as a way to fight for their personal rights. Others see the law suit as an example of how the board is trying to push their own personal faith agenda. I can assure you that if elected to the board of education I will make decisions with a clear perspective of all the facts. I can also promise you that I will always vote in the best interest of our children, which is really what this matter is all about. The mission of the Indian River School District is to provide a quality education to every child. I believe in prayer and will follow the laws that have been established by the highest courts in our country when it comes to what a district can and can not do related to school prayer. This issue has become very divisive and has taken the board’s attention away from teaching and learning. I want the school board’s attention back on teacher and principals’ salaries, working conditions for staff, graduation requirements, early childhood services, recruitment and retention of math and science teachers, and career and job counseling for middle and high school students. This is what is important if our children are to be prepared for the competition that faces them in the future. This is the responsibility of the school board.
Q: A successful referendum seems to have solved the current energy problem. What can the board do to prepare for or when faced with potential future increases in energy costs?
A: The current energy problem is not just an Indian River School District problem but a statewide problem. All 19 school districts are facing increased energy costs that will ultimately impact resources for students. The superintendents from the 19 school districts meet twice a month with the Secretary of Education to discuss issues of interest to all districts — increased energy costs is the No. 1 priority at this time. As a result of those conversations, the superintendents have formed an advisory group of district superintendents who will be working with legislators to try and resolve the problem. Indian River School District’s Board of Education needs to be kept informed by the superintendent on the progress the statewide group is making on this topic. There is great political power when 19 school districts work with the Department of Education and the state legislature to look for alternative resources or additional revenue sources to resolve the problem. School districts have been contacted by the Department of Education to provide input regarding their support for purchasing energy from alternative sources. The board must stay informed and consider all options that will benefit the district in saving energy cost that could potentially impact resources for schools. Indian River must continue to be conservative in their spending and develop a 10-year strategic plan that includes planning for potential increases in energy costs in an effort to be proactive and responsive to the concerns of taxpayers.
Q: In your opinion what program’s funding should be cut first to deal with such expenses and why?
A: My experience in working in public education for over 30 years is that there is rarely a time when school districts have extra money to develop unnecessary programs. In most cases they are operating on a very tight budget and the programs that are developed and implemented are a part of the district’s vision for providing a high quality educational experience for every child. Let me be more specific: Most elementary and middle schools offer a supplemental reading program for children who are working below grade level in reading. These programs are research-based and the staff trained to provide instruction to below-grade-level readers. Programs such as SOAR To Success or Reading 180 are necessary in helping children who are experiencing difficulty catch up and read on-level. Without these interventions many children will either repeat a grade or need special education services. Supplemental reading programs are necessary if we are going to help Indian River School District students achieve at high levels. There are other programs that are also important in preparing students for the future. The research is clear on how programs in music and art benefit students academically. These programs are necessary and important for certain children. ROTC programs have provided leadership skills for high school students who are preparing for college, a job, or a career in the military. These programs are necessary and important for certain children. As a parent of two children who participated in school athletics, I understand that school athletic programs are important in learning how to work together on a team, how to manage time, and how to win and lose. These programs are necessary and important for certain children. The school board’s role is to work with the superintendent and his/her leadership team to assess the results of various programs to see if they are accomplishing what they were intended to accomplish. It is not for the board to determine what is beneficial or not beneficial to students. It is the role of the superintendent and his/her administrative team to inform the board of the success or lack of success of various school programs as the district develops priorities for the future. Programs that are not meeting targets may need to be eliminated when the district is trying to save money.
Q: What is your opinion of full-day kindergarten?
A: While completing my doctorate in school leadership and innovation from Wilmington College I researched a topic for my dissertation that was an issue that I dealt with as an educator in an elementary school. My research was primarily focused on the variables that were most conducive to a child’s readiness for school, such as the quality of child care settings, and early childhood experiences, such as preschool and full-day kindergarten. The research I did in 1995 and the data the Department of Education, in collaboration with the University of Delaware, is currently conducting regarding student achievement in full-day kindergarten programs, support the importance of high-quality early learning experiences for children. Not every child has parents that can afford preschool and early childhood activities. Children who begin behind will remain behind unless they are identified early and provide more time to engage in learning activities. Average children make a year’s growth in school. If I start six months behind and make a year’s growth I will still be six months behind. The only way to catch up is with more time during the day. Full-day kindergarten should be available to any child who needs the extra time and to any parent who chooses to enroll their child in a full-day experience. Parents who prefer half-day programs should have that option. Children in Asia go to school more days and for longer hours than children in America. We must prepare our children to be competitive in the 21st century. We must give our children every opportunity to succeed and we need to begin with our youngest students.
Q: What should the board do to continue to ensure that teaching salaries in the district remain competitive with surrounding districts?
A: The Department of Education is responsible for approximately 65 percent of a teacher’s salary. Teachers in every district get the same base salary, which is calculated by using years of teaching experience and education level, such as a master’s degree. The local district pays 35 percent of a teacher’s salary by collecting tax dollars from current expense referendums. Indian River recently passed a current expense referendum that will give teachers a four percent raise for two years. The district still ranks in the bottom quartile for teachers’ salaries compared to surrounding districts. The Indian River School Board should develop a strategic plan that will determine district priorities for the next 10 years. Part of the plan should be to identify district needs, engage the public in conversations about those needs, and ask the public to support those priorities. The current board has been so busy focusing on bricks and mortar that they have forgotten that the most important factor in a child’s achievement in school is the quality of the teachers and the principal. We cannot wait another 10 years to ask for a current-expense referendum. Let’s develop a plan to ensure that teaching salaries in the Indian River School District remain competitive with surrounding districts. If we do not, we will continue to hire teachers who will leave us in two or three years to go to other districts. Indian River lost 12 veteran teachers to surrounding districts in 2005-2006 because of higher salaries. We need to recruit and retain the best teachers for our children.
Q: What is your opinion of the Delaware Student Testing Program?
A: Delaware was one of the first states to develop both student and professional accountability. Student accountability includes the Delaware Student Testing Program and graduation requirements. As a former principal, I believe that the DSTP has improved schools in Delaware. There are state standards for all content areas that define what teachers must teach and what children must learn. The tests are both norm-referenced and performance-based, which provides opportunities for children to demonstrate both skill application and skill knowledge. The Department of Education has developed cut scores for each grade level that provide parents and school personnel with targets for success and improvement. The Delaware Department of Education has a data warehouse that provides schools and districts with a variety of reports for monitoring student achievement and analyzing areas for school improvement. The Department of Education is looking at alternative testing companies in an effort to find a test that provides more diagnostic feedback to teachers to help them with instructional decisions throughout the year. For the first time, we can measure a child’s achievement in reading, math, writing, social studies and science, and track the progress from one year to the next. It is important to hold our schools accountable for student achievement. It is important to look at test data and identify students who are not making progress and evaluate causative factors. I believe the DSTP made me a better principal and the teachers who worked for me more diagnostic and prescriptive teachers. I also believe it prompted parents to get involved with the school by checking assignments, volunteering, and attending parent teacher conferences. I am supportive of the Delaware State Testing Program.
Q: What is your opinion of the corporal punishment bill introduced in Delaware that would allow districts to physically punish students with parental approval?
A: My opinion about corporal punishment has changed as I have become a more experienced educator. I do not believe corporal punishment will solve the problems we have with certain children who misbehave in school every day. What I have learned over time is that children are complex and families have complicated lives. I also know that corporal punishment works as a short-term fix but the issues that caused a child to misbehave are still present once the spanking is over. I suggest we do a better job working with families by increasing early childhood opportunities, which includes alignment and articulation with social services. I also believe we need to increase counseling services to students. Teachers need professional development in classroom organization and management, discipline techniques and models, and conflict resolution. Parents need to take responsibility for their children by getting involved in school activities. Children who continually disrupt classrooms may need alternative placements or a change in programming. I do not support a corporal punishment bill even with parental approval.