Key Questions and Answers

By Bruce L. Kerman

These questions and answers address my position on key issues facing the Upper St. Clair School Board today.

The decision to renovate the Boyce and Ft. Couch middle schools was one of the major issues facing the School District in the last year. There have been some major problems with both middle school buildings and these issues must be addressed.

I have reviewed the renovation proposal, along with the various alternatives and the projected costs. The question was + how much do we spend, and what do we get for it? A careful analysis of these alternatives indicates that the full renovation project will result in smaller tax increases than what would have been required to simply fix what is broken and bring the buildings up to current code. There are three reasons for this: 1) The "fix what's broken" option can only be financed over the useful life of the equipment replaced + 10 years vs. 30 years for the full renovations. 2) The renovation projects provide sorely needed new classroom space, which is partially reimbursable from the state. The repair project is not reimbursable.
3. Due to the shorter-term nature of the "fix what's broken" option, tax rates must go up immediately, while the 30-year projects offer time to smooth out the increase in taxes.

There should be no need to argue between low taxes and improved educational spaces. We can have both.

2.) How do we balance educational needs and maintain fiscal conservatism?

It is a very delicate balance between providing education to meet the children's needs and determining the affordability of school district programs. We must consider our needs and understand what features are essential, and which needs are on someone's "wish list." We know that we can't have everything, and it will be the job of the school directors, together with the administration, to assess and assign value to each of the current programs and to any requested programs. In some cases we may have to cut back. In others we may have to expand education opportunities to meet the needs of the 21st century students. In making these assessments, the interests of both the students and the taxpayers must be given top priority. We can't tax and spend our way to educational excellence. Educational excellence can only be achieved by teachers, administrators, parents, coaches, and school directors working together to make difficult choices. We can do this, while keeping a lid on expenses and taxes.

3.) How do you feel about the International Baccalaureate program?

For those of you that are interested in the International Baccalaureate program, I did attend the February 2006 School Directors meeting. This was the meeting held in the high school theater that was attended by many hundreds of parents, students, and concerned citizens. I attended with an open mind. I did not speak in favor of or against the IB program. I was very surprised at the size of the turnout, the overwhelming public support for the IB program, and I was most surprised by the apparent unwillingness of the then majority to show any real deference to the opinions of so many people. The most important thing that I learned that evening was that there were a very large number of parents and students that cared very much for the program's continuation. That alone should have been respected.

In the aftermath of that meeting, a committee was established to research and evaluate the program. The report delivered to the board documented the positive value that the IB program brings to our school district.

4.) What is your opinion regarding Governor Rendell's proposed school consolidation plan?

I believe that Governor Rendell's proposal for school district consolidation is bad idea because it would remove local control over school districts, curricula, and budgets, while resulting in little or no benefit to all but the smallest districts.

Under the Governor's plan: ·School districts would be reduced from 500 to "no more than 100." ·An appointed commission, not local school districts, would set all school district boundaries.

I think that consolidation should be an option for districts that want to merge, but should not be forced upon successful school districts. If there were real benefits, school districts would want to consolidate on their own.

There has been some academic research into measurement of school district consolidation. Findings indicate that there is some benefit from consolidating small rural districts (less than 900 students). However, there is little, if any, benefit from consolidating larger districts (1,500 or more students). Consolidation does not control costs or improve academic achievement. Some studies show that consolidation actually worsens financial, academic, and social outcomes.

Who would want their school district mapped out by the same legislature that creates congressional districts? Imagine a map of gerrymandered districts, to meet non-educational goals.

5.) What is your opinion of the teacher's contract and how should we address the upcoming negotiations for a new contract?

I have read through the teachers' current contract, and I recommend that all of you do the same. I think it is fair to say that the teachers do have a very nice contract, both in terms of salary grades and benefits.

That said, we do want to pay a competitive wage that encourages the best teachers to want to teach in Upper St. Clair, rather than to learn to teach in Upper St. Clair, only to leave for another district that will pay more for their experience.

The USC teachers' compensation plan was developed through previous contract negotiations. The next contract, which will be negotiated before the election, must be practical for the current economy. We should expect the teachers to contribute more for their benefits, in line with other typical employers and their employees.

Let' remember, it's not really a question of "us vs. them." It is "us and them" that are responsible for our children's' education. I know that world-class private sector corporations want their employees to work with pride, professionalism, and to truly enjoy their jobs, while receiving a fair compensation package. Our children's teachers should be treated no differently.

6.) What experience do you have serving on a board?

I have participated in a few professional and historical organizations. Several years ago I rose through various officer positions to become president of the Pittsburgh Roundtable of the Council of Logistics Management. Currently, I am on the board of the Three Rivers Chapter of the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association. These groups are far smaller in budget and importance than the USC School District. However, serving on these boards has given me some experience in working on a team with other professionals from varying backgrounds. Fortunately, my participation in these groups was characterized by everyone working together toward a common goal in a true spirit of collaboration and support. I hope that I can do the same on the school board.

7.) What is your opinion of the proposal to test graduating seniors for competency?

We test students with the PSSAs several times during their tenure as a student, including at the 11th grade level. We also test at various levels with other standardized tests, plus most high school students take the PSATs, the ACTs and/or the SATs. Students receive progress reports and report cards several times a year. If the professionals don't know before a student hits 12th grade if he or she is not ready to graduate, we've all done a pretty poor job. Testing takes up enough time already--we don't need to take any more time out of instructional time to do more testing.

8.) How do you feel about foreign languages at the elementary level?

I understand that there is some debate in the academic world about foreign language at the elementary level. On the one hand, is the idea that there is a "critical period" when children are best able to learn a second language. This theory says that to effectively learn a language, one must begin when young. On the other hand, many people successfully learn a language after their childhood is over. But research does show that learning a second language does help increase listening ability, memory, creativity, and critical thinking, which are important skills across the curriculum. In addition, there has been research showing that eliminating foreign language studies in the elementary grades to make more time for other academic subjects does not really improve scores in these areas. I support foreign language instruction in the elementary schools.

9.) Will you continue to maintain quality athletic programs?

Here is my opinion on our athletic programs. First, I am very proud of Upper St. Clair's rich history of athletic excellence. It is a rare school district that can be consistently at the top of the state rankings in both academic and athletic performance. Athletic opportunities are essential to developing well rounded students who are not only ready to handle future academic challenges, but also life skills such a teamwork, sportsmanship, goal setting, and healthy living. Yes, I think athletics are important and should be maintained.

10.) What is your reason for seeking the position of School Director?

My interest in becoming a School Director is simply to serve our community by providing a quality education for our children. I began attending School Board meetings several years ago to learn more about this important part of our community. As I became more familiar with the meeting format, I began to review the agendas in advance, pay strict attention to the meetings, and to take good notes regarding the decisions of the school board. Several months ago, as I sat through a school board meeting, I asked myself, "Who in the community would be best able to be a successful new school director?" I looked around the room and thought + who comes to meetings regularly, who understands the meeting agenda, who can represent the interests of taxpayers, parents, and students? And as I thought about this, I realized that the person I was looking for was ... me.

11.) How can Bruce be contacted regarding other questions or comments?

Please contact me at voteKerman@gmail.com.