Candidate for
School Director; Wissahickon School District

My 16 years as a director has provided me with an in-depth knowledge of every aspect of our district operations; valuable experience that no other candidate brings to the position.

During my tenure I have served on and/or chaired every board standing committee (Curriculum/Technology, Policy, Finance, & Facilities/Transportation). Some of the Ad-hoc committees on which I served evaluated options like performance pay, ADA, security and enrollment needs. I have worked with staff and community members on committees addressing issues like strategic planning, redistricting and class size.

Currently I am the Board Vice President, chair of the Curriculum/Technology committee and a board representative on each of the three teams that negotiates our staff contracts and on the co-curricular committee.

There are many accomplishments of which I am proud. Some include:

• curriculum review for every subject, K-12, resulting in consistency, continuity and the teaching of material that is aligned with state standards.
• a nationally-recognized staff development program that provides professional staff with "master teachers" who help implement new curriculum, improve classroom instruction & integrate technology into lessons.
• small class sizes, K-12.
• after-school tutoring in all schools.
• state-of-the-art technology in every classroom, K-12.
• the development of a 5-year capital project budget which helps plan for major expenditures.

• by the state as 1 of 8 districts whose curriculum assessments effectively measure mastery of state standards so WSD would be exempt from implementing state-mandated graduation exams.
• from Standard & Poor's who awarded WSD the coveted AAA bond rating, the only school district in the state to be so recognized.

• championed the Reading/Literacy and Writing initiatives which focus efforts to ensure that both are integral components of all curricular areas.
• have supported the modernization of all our facilities as well as numerous "go-green" projects.
• as Vice President, helped develop budgets that have required no tax increase in 3 of the past 4 years.
• represented the Board in negotiations that led to the settlement of the two current union contracts without a work stoppage.

In the past, I served for 7 yrs on the Whitpain Township Park & Rec Board. I was an active volunteer in the Whitpain Rec Assoc for nearly 20 years, first as a Board member and treasurer, then as a field hockey committee member, commissioner and coach.

I received the Outstanding Board Member award in 1997 from the Montco Taxpayers' Consortium. In Oct.2001 I received Whitpain Twp's Outstanding Citizen of the Month award for my volunteer efforts.