Candidate for
Member, Board of Education; Mamaroneck Union Free School District

If there is one lesson learned from the current financial crisis, it is that public education - as it stands now - is not financially sustainable. The school board and our administration, along with our professional organizations, have spent hours communicating with our state and federal government about this issue. We have asked for changes in federal funding and state aid, a rethinking of unfunded mandates, a change in the pension system and consolidated or less onerous reporting requirements, among many other requests. We have campaigned locally for property reassessment to limit our disruptive tax certiorari payments and sought out ways to share services with our neighboring districts and municipalities. We have seen some progress but it is clear that drastic changes at the national, state or local level will not happen anytime soon or solve our school district's financial issues in providing public education. We must learn to do things differently with less.

Because education as we know it is very reliant on people, the most effective way to change the budget is to have fewer staff. In order to decrease staff without a real and adverse impact on education, we need to use technology in ways we have not yet discovered or tried. Technology can be used in all areas of our district; from custodial to clerical to teaching and administration. We must also be open to new ways to do the business of education. Possibilities include looking at more flexible hiring practices such as part-time or job-sharing positions and flexible benefit packages.

Engaging the community remains a necessary component of public education. In the end, our schools must reflect the values and financial limitations of our residents. Using community volunteers in our thinking, conversations and initiatives is essential. We have enormous untapped talent within our community that we need to find and welcome to the dialogue. The use of volunteers within the schools, although complex and somewhat restricted by law, cannot be ignored. Finding many different opportunities which engage various segments of the community will help enormously in stretching our dollars. Using fund-raising volunteers could also become quite important. Although fund-raising is outside the bounds of school districts, we can and should support any efforts in this direction.

Being more creative in our contract negotiations does not mean valuing staff any less. We need to engage all staff in new ways to do their jobs. And we need to support them with a contract that clearly defines our respect for their work while acknowledging the fiscal realities of these times. Our teachers are on the front-lines and want to teach. We must support their time so that it is as efficient and effective as possible. We must be sure they have everything they need, from technology to time and resources for professional development to a voice in the education process.

And finally, education's most important concern will always be the students. We must provide all students of all abilities with essential skills including communication, critical thinking and collaboration. We need to have an eye on the changes occurring in post-secondary education and on the jobs of tomorrow. As the world continue to rapidly change, we need to be sure that we are preparing our students for the world that will be theirs and not the one we used to know.