First, what would you propose to do about the court case involving the teachers seeking the restoration of their TRA contributions that the DeKalb School Board voted to terminate?
As a school board member, I would encourage a settlement with the teachers because procedures/guidelines had been put in place by the previous school board to protect its’ employees from a situation like this happening. The school board disregarded their own policies.
There was a serious situation with funds at the time the school board made the decision they did due to mismanagement and a big drop in funds from the state and federal government.
As a school board member I would encourage the school board to go back and pay social security or TRA contribution. We must provide salaries and benefits that are competitive to attract quality staff.
Second, what specifically would you do to address the bloat in the DCSS administration that has been documented by the AJC and others as far exceeding the administration/teacher ratio of neighboring counties?
I would encourage an audit of positions at the county level, and restructuring of jobs as needed. There must be reform of funding and the emphasis of state and federal funds should be directed into the classroom.
Third, what specifically would you propose to rein in the expenses involved with the so-called “parent centers” that seem to be concentrated in specific areas of DeKalb County and not others?
As a school board member, I would encourage doing away with the “parent centers.” Parent involvement is essential for improvement of students’ achievement in the DeKalb County Schools. However, as a school board member, I had prefer to see money spent on a social worker, and a student support employee at every school in DeKalb to help deal with the social, educational and family needs so that the students can focus on learning. I would like to see efforts made to coordinate meetings and students’ individual plans for every child that needs a team approach to improve achievement. This team must involve parent involvement.
Fourth, what specifically would you propose to rein in legal expenses? What would you do to insure we ended the practice of duplicating employment of both “white” and “black” law firms when only one is needed?
The school system has too many legal firms they pay by the hour. I would like to see a law firm on retention if possible.
I would like to see a more effective legal team in the county office to handle matters. I would like to see a law team in-house that specializes in educational law issues. I feel it would be more affective to have a legal team who advises the school board, principals and administrative team before decisions are made that the school system in so many legal battles.
Fifth, what specifically would you do to reach out to communities that feel that they have been ignored for too long, such as Dunwoody, Brookhaven, and Lakeside?
I understand that the Dunwoody, Tucker, Brookhaven and Lakeside areas feel ignored. I understand their frustration as I became political active because I taught at a school in one of these areas and I live and own rental property in these areas.
I respect the city movement and realize that these areas do not feel they are receiving the services, compared to the amount of taxes they pay. This movement appears not to totally be a movement regarding schools from what I have learned by talking to the legislators and supporters of the city movement.
As I have in the past, I would work cooperatively and listen to all the members of the community in the DeKalb County area and when making a decision as a school board member, I would vote to represent all the citizens in the county. I will always vote with my first thought being: “What is best for the students, business leaders and taxpayers of DeKalb County?”
We have a problem in DeKalb County. People do not want to move into the county because of our school system. This needs to change so our county can be a good place to live and families, businesses and our schools can thrive.
Sixth, what would you to restore the trust of the people of DeKalb County in the DCSS?
I would encourage better communication, transparency and accountability in achievement of our students. We did not get in this cycle of poor communication, poor transparency and accountability in a few years so we must make steps to getting the achievement level back at the levels we feel acceptable.
In improving our schools, improving our communication and transparency we will began to put trust back in our community.
I also feel it is important that when searching for a new school superintendent that a national search is done and that no decision is made on race but instead on the most qualified leader to lead our school system into the 21th Century.
Seventh, what specifically would you do to get the priority on the classroom and not on administration?
I would encourage an audit at the county office level to ensure all jobs are really needed. I would encourage a restructuring of jobs in the county office. Fulton County Schools recently did this and many administrators are now back in the classrooms or back in the schools as administrators.
I am extremely supportive of a social worker at ever school in the county that has a significant need and also a RTI/Student Support Chairperson at every school who would work with the parents of students who are struggling at school. I believe that when the parent, teachers and a social worker becomes involved and work together the student’s achievement level may improve. If it does not then an evaluation needs to be done to determine why the student is not achieving.
I would like to see more mentoring/tutoring programs where community members are actively working with the teachers to overcome deficits in our children in DeKalb.
Eighth, what would you propose to do about initiating a search for a new, permanent superintendent?
I would support a national search for a school superintendent. If you look on my blog you will see a blog regarding what I feel are the characteristics of a good school superintendent (Georgia Schoolhouse Blog).
Ninth, would you undertake to initiate a full independent forensic audit of the DeKalb County School System? If so, would you insist that the results be made public without any modification by anyone?
As a school board member I would encourage a full independent forensic audit and I would encourage that the results be made public without any modifications.
Tenth, what would you propose to insure that the school board and administration listen to and truly consider what the public has to say?
I would always be willing to listen to different views as a school board member. I will take into consideration every email or conversation I have received, before I cast every vote.
I would encourage school board members to have community meetings in their district that would give the taxpayers an opportunity to speak directly to the school board members and administrative leaders. This is done regularly in other counties in the metro area.
Eleventh, what is your position on new ideas such as that presented by the Druid Hills Charter Petition? What new directions would you propose to change the status quo at the DCSS and give all of us a new comfort that such charter schools, new independent schools, or other such programs are not needed and that the DCSS will take a new course of improvement that is measurable to convince us that it is serious and can be trusted?
I do feel that the Druid Hills Charter Petition may have made some eras in preparing their petition according to conversations I have had with the teacher’s union representative. However, I do support Charter Cluster if the Charter Petitioners can show that they intent to improve student’s achievement.
I work at a Charter School, in a Charter System, so I am supportive of Charter Schools and Charter Systems because they can offer flexibility and more parent involvement. Becoming a charter school system will bring additional funds to the school system. However, becoming a Charter may not change anything at all. Changing a name does not assure that changes occur in the schoolhouse that improve students’ achievement.
I am not opposed to city school district eventually having their own school system if this means improved achievement results.
Twelfth, what specifically would you propose to get administrators out of the way of teachers and to get teachers into a fully accountable position?
I understand the issue all too well. Teachers are the key to educating our children. However, there is a need for administrators in the picture to assure the students are receiving the best education they can receive. Teachers are needed at the schoolhouse to fairly evaluate teachers’ performances.
I do believe that we need fewer administrators at the county office and more teachers in the classroom. I would like to see more equipment and materials in the classroom and less administrators at the county level.
I would like to see smaller class sizes. Too many of our classrooms have too many students for a teacher to manage.
Thirteenth, are to comfortable with the current budget preparation, presentation, and approval process? If not, what specifically would you change?
First of all the budget preparation must start with making sure the top priority is the classroom.
and monthly statements of spending are not very easy for the public to read so they can become informed taxpayers. I would like to see better software used that is friendlier to the public to view so they can understand the budget.
I would like more transparency in the spending of taxpayer’s money.
I would like data to assure the programs being used in the school system to improve achievement are actually being effective. If there is no data of improvement then the programs should be dropped.
I actually would like more teachers’ input into the programs that are purchased. As a school board member I want to see the recommendations of the teachers who reviewed the product before the product is purchased by the school system.
Finally, what specifically would you propose to end teacher furlough days and to begin to restore their full compensation with some allowance for annual raises?
We must put our focus on restoring the teachers’ full compensation with allowances for annual raises. We must focus on returning the TRA to employees or we must pay social security for our employees. We must focus on putting great resources and quality teachers in the classroom.
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