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Candidates among a committee that is a mixture of teachers and administrators. I think that if it is a major shift in delivery style, such as the Read Well by 3rd Grade shift, I do feel that it is important to have an information session, and also an opportunity for the teachers who will be practicing the delivery model to weigh in with an opinion. Our assessment model is very good. I do not see this as something that has to be revamped. I think the Joint standing committee and OTL work well to see that we are doing the assessments in an efficient and effective manner. Staffing is an altogether complicated and sometimes unpleasant matter. I think this needs to be as transparent as possible. I do not see this as a matter for the school board to weigh in on unless it is absolutely necessary. This should be a collaborative effort involving the SMCs, HR and perhaps the Superintendent. I see school management as the job of the SMC. The teachers should direct feedback and input to them. The SMC would then in turn
report to the district level. This question asks to provide a high level of definition to some very complicated procedures. I think the bottom line is that in all of them there needs to be very clear avenues for communication to occur. I do not see top down management as always being the best option for every situation. However, I do feel that the collective efforts of all of our separate buildings need to be guided towards the same course. This is another area that captures my attention. I cannot stress enough how important communication and transparency is in these circumstances. Change can be extremely difficult, but I think if all parties are afforded a means to express their viewpoints, we stand a far better chance of finding an acceptable solution in every one of these areas. 10. What role do you think educators should play in the decisions made at the local schools? I believe that educators have a voice that needs to be heard. I think that they see first hand what is effective and what is not. I think it is fair to say that they are
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our eyes. There are many decisions where I feel that we should have more input from our teachers. That being said, I do also realize that there are many reasons for each action. Considerations of budget and finance often play a role in decisions as well. These are points where I see transparency as being paramount. The balance needs to be found where we can be sure that there is someone to advocate for all points of view. 11. In the next five years, what are the greatest challenges facing public education in Minnesota? In our district? The biggest challenge I see for our state is how to stay competitive and engaging in the face of inflation, funding levels and a decline in student numbers. There will always be a need for more funding, so that’s not the main concern for me. The challenge is to do more with less. We need to find more creative and possibly collaborative ways to use our funds to maximize what we can offer to our students. In our district, I believe the challenge will be finding a balance of maximizing the potential from the funding that we do have as well as finding creative ways to enhance our student’s experience in ISD 15. 12. Do you have any other thoughts that you would like to share with us? Thank you for taking the time to put this survey together. You offered some very tough and thought provoking questions. This will be a very important election for ISD 15. It has been an honor to work with such fine teachers, administrators, and the staff that makes everything run smoothly. We’ll see you at the polls.
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Marsha Van Denburgh Running for 4 year term
1. What issues caused you to run for the school board and what are your strengths or qualifications? I am in the process of completing my first term of
office. It took the first 6-12 months to really understand much of what is required of a school board member. I now understand much more of what needs to be done to move this district forward. Many members of our staff have reported to me an incredibly low morale, and this is a huge concern. I want our teachers and support staff to be happy to come to work every day, so that our students receive the best education. The current administration needs to change to become more supportive and less demanding and confrontational. Also, there needs to more information sharing with the school board before big decisions are made rather than asking for rubber stamps. I believe I can help lead this district to make it a stronger school district, because I listen and speak up as needed. 2. How do you perceive the role of school board members? Our main roles involve managing the district via policy and budget. Without school board approval, no funds can be spent, no one can be officially hired, and contracts cannot be approved. School boards are responsible for negotiating contracts and maintaining facilities. Most of what we do is oversee the delegation of these activities. We work closely with the superintendent, who is a defacto member of the board and cannot vote. Beyond these official parameters, we are a sounding board for both staff, families, and community. We need to know the pulse of the district to discern what our community finds important. I make myself available to everyone via phone, email, and in person to discuss whatever is on someone’s mind. 3. How many school board meetings and district-wide committee meetings have you attended? What has been your involvement in district committees? I was elected to serve in 2009, so I have attended almost all meetings while in office. I have missed a couple of meetings, once due to a death in the family. Without counting, I do not think I have missed five meetings. I also attend other meetings and functions as often as possible. Prior to being elected to the school board, my most dedicated involvement revolved around establishing the American Indian Education Parent Committee. I am pleased that we finally have a dedicated staff as a
multicultural liaison in our district. This is something I have worked for tirelessly. 4. In the event the district is lacking financial resources, what would you recommend? (Levy referendum? Cuts in staff, programs?) I have several ideas I would like to explore, and although numbered, are not really in any particular order. First, I believe we need to sell some of our current land holdings. Second, I think we need to look at consolidating our buildings and potentially selling some of that property as well. Third, I would like to bid out our transportation services. A few years ago, our business affairs director said, in a private conversation, we could save over one million dollars a year by subcontracting our bus service. I would like to explore this option. Fourth, I have confidence that our staff has untapped knowledge in ways we could save money. I would like to offer an appropriate bonus for suggestions that help the district curtail costs. 5. As a member of the school board, what class size would you be committed to maintain for children in grades (K-5, 6-8, 9-12) This is a hard question. Each classroom has such a different group of learners that is unique. I think our current goal of 20-22 in kindergarten is an excellent goal. Gr 1-2-should not exceed 25 Gr 3-5 should not exceed 28-30 per class. Gr 6-8 should be held to 32-34 Gr 9-12 should be held at 33-35 Now, that said, I do believe there is flexibility with some of those guidelines. Choir, for instance, needs a larger class size to flourish. But overall, I can commit to the above class sizes. 6. Are there any areas in the curriculum that you feel need to be changed or improved? If so, what are they? I have pushed for more emphasis in science and math while on the board and before that too. I would like to see computer programming or coding be an integral part of all grades. The job market requires this knowledge in many areas, not just as programmers. We teach NO classes on any level. I would be excited to have a magnet school type of approach, where for instance, Continued, Page 29
The Courier | November 2013 | www.the-courier.org