Rydal-Meadowbrook Civic Association

Candidate for Abington Board of School Directors

Download & print PDF with an overview of all candidates, individual responses and questions to be asked at the Forum on October 27, 2011. RMCA and our co-hosts are pleased to provide this candidate an opportunity to present qualifications and priorities. These are the opinions of the candidate and RMCA does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy of the content or typographic errors: 

In your view, what function does the Board of School Directors provide in the School District?
School Board Director is a person which stands in the midst of many interest groups all of which share one common goal, quality education; however, the groups may differ as to how quality education is achieved. For example, parents desire the best education for their children; teachers strive to provide the best education given limited resources, tax payers want to contain taxes, and the administrator’s are challenged to keep everything running smoothly on shrinking budgets. It is the School Board Director who wades into these intimidating waters and attempts to juggle budgets, contracts, curriculum, resources, and community interests to the best possible end and hopefully with the agreement of many.

What role do you envision for yourself on the Board of School Directors? What experience do you bring to the position and what do you want to accomplish?
As a Professional Engineer, I focus on assisting large institutions assess, plan, and develop their assets (land, buildings, personnel, technology, and finances) to meet the institution’s goals. Serving on the Property, Real Estate and Facility Subcommittee of the Board is a logical use of my experience. The Property Subcommittee often works closely with the Budget Subcommittee to fund the short and long term goals of the Property Subcommittee. My career path has also taken me through a broad range of curricula, where I experienced many different approaches to education; consequently I believe that I can bring a useful consumer perspective to the Curriculum Subcommittee.

The School District has a budget of $130 million. What are your funding priorities over the next four years?
My funding priorities are to provide the highest quality education possible to all students in Abington School District, preparing them to thrive in their chosen careers and in their communities. However, it is important for the School Board of Directors to balance the best education of the students, with an appropriate level of spending, therefore, if there are reasonable expenditures which can be cut, then they should be cut; if savings to be realized through simplifying the complex, then by all means simplify it. Also the School Board of Directors should study how to best leverage existing and emerging technology, such as e-books, to yield benefits and savings to the stakeholders.

RMCA is co-hosting the Forum with the Abington Cheltenham Jenkintown League of Women Voters and Abington Parent Council (PTA & PTOs).

References and Links  
Strategic Plan Mid-point Review 
2011 Budget Summary
Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators White Paper 
Teachers' Agreement 
Memo on Rights and Responsibility of Students 
Board Communications