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?
The Board of School Directors, are individuals elected to office by the community that they serve, to ensure the fulfillment of the state’s constitutional responsibility to provide “a public education.” The board should plan and set an agenda for the district’s superintendent, with collaboration from administration, to allow the district and the students to flourish. The board should make policies conducive to a high quality education for all students, and a productive work environment for all staff and administration. It is the board’s responsibility to review all available data, and make changes to agenda, curriculum, environments, and policies, as needed to ensure that the district is efficiently providing all students with a quality education, and positive educational environment. The board with collaboration from the superintendent has a significant responsibility to make sure the district is fiscally sound, and operated with financial due diligence. To provide a high quality education, while keeping the burden on taxpayers as low as possible is extremely important, especially given the recent, drastic, and disproportionate cuts recently enacted by the state.

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 member of the board, I envision my position as an advocate for high quality education. I feel strongly, that to be a successful board member you need to be a proponent for parent, family, staff, and community involvement. I will be one who is willing to listen and discuss differing points of view, and will vote with the district’s best interest every time. As a parent of special needs children who attend Abington Schools, I will be a voice for an under recognized population of students and families, and will be able to lend a different perspective to the board and administration. I am also fortunate to have the perspective of having children currently in the elementary, junior, and senior levels of Abington School District. As an advocate for children with special needs, I have seen things that Abington and other districts do well, and not so well, and will bring realistic observations that I believe would be beneficial to the board and the district.

The School District has a budget of $130 million. What are your funding priorities over the next four years?
My funding priorities would be preserving a high quality education, which includes strong academic, athletic, and art programs, while attempting to keep the burden on taxpayers as low as possible. High quality does not mean highest cost, and I believe the district needs to expand their collaborative purchasing programs and Intermediate Unit agreements. I would regularly seek and suggest cost saving and revenue producing ideas to the board and administration. We should work closely with all staff and unions that represent them, as I believe the Abington staff is a strong asset in discovering where cost savings can be made. We should aggressively pursue all federal, state, and private grant monies, as well as work with parents, staff, and administration to seek the highest participation and reimbursement from the ACCESS program.

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