Candidates Platform

By Jerry Scott

This paper covers the highlights on which I am running for this position.

In addition to the ongoing issues continually coming before the Board of Trustees, I am specifically interested in tackling the issues identified below.

Excellent communication is one of the keys to a successful School District. It is the responsibility of the School Board to insure that communications are flowing throughout the District. This takes a number of forms including:

1. Televising Board meetings.

2. Providing timely electronic access to meeting agendas, minutes and collateral materials.

3. Simplified reporting of the district's financials.

4. All public documents to be made available in PDF formats on the District's website.

5. Prompt and professional follow up from parent meetings with District staff or administrators.

6. Weekly snapshot of our children's progress covering their behavior and work.

7. The appropriate forums for parental input and involvement.

Financial Responsibility is a critical issue to insuring that the best possible curriculum and programs are being offered to all of Windsor's children. There will always be limited resources and the ongoing threat of less money from the state in coming years. It will become increasingly necessary to generate new funding from fundraising, grants, bonds, parcel tax or any other means possible. Our Foundation could play an important role in this endeavor and should be expanded and energized to take a leadership role. The Board Budget Advisory Committee could also be instrumental in this arena. Beyond raising new funds, it is very important that we spend the money that we have in the most responsible way possible. There should be no sacred cows lurking about the District. All spending should be revisited under the new Board of Trustees. A formula should be developed that would fairly compare and rank the various opportunities under consideration. Factors for the formula should include cost, number of students impacted, impact on student performance, adherence to the District's strategic plan (once we develop one), and impact on teachers performance.

Accountability ultimately translates into test scores. It is currently the measure used to evaluate student performance. Our scores in this District need some serious work. I believe by developing a strong work ethic by all stakeholders (includes students, teachers, parents, administrators, the Board, and the community at large) we can perform at our highest level, while we continue to measure the success of that effort. A strong coordinated partnership between parent and teacher is an important element in improving a students performance. Parents need to understand the curriculum, work with their children to complete the work, communicate problem areas, and volunteer some time in the classroom. Teachers need to understand each individual child, provide differentiated instruction, communicate problem areas, and keep parents constantly informed on their child's progress. The District (including administrators) should take on the role of educating the parents on curriculum requirements, creating a safe and creative environment for learning, and developing new and innovate approaches to education.

Other issues that are of high priority to me are listed below.

1. The development of a five year Strategic Plan is one of the first things that should be undertaken by the new Board of Trustees.

2. Technology needs to be addressed, not only in the classroom with respect to student performance, but also in the District to provide timely information over student tracking, automation of manual processes, and a new and improved District website to facilitate communications.

3. Review and revise the District's Harassment and Bullying Policy to insure its acceptability to parents who have expressed concerns, that it is a comprehensive District wide program, and that there is zero tolerance for certain types of behavior.