Staff morale has been an issue in the school district. How do you think the board should monitor and respond to staff morale issues, if at all? Given that the majority of district staff are teachers, should teachers be treated differently (better OR worse) than other staff people in the district?
I believe staff morale is an issue because staff do not
believe they have a venue to be heard.
It is important that staff be allowed an opportunity to bring their
issues to the Board. Every AAPS staff
member should be treated fairly, equitably and with respect. No staff member is better or worse than
another one, “all” are necessary for the continued success of our students and
the district.
I believe administering more than one standardized test a
year is too much and non-productive. Standardized test results are used to
determine the school’s status within the district, state or nation; however, it
does not necessarily give an accurate picture of the child, school or district because
it does not always take into account class size, diversity or special needs.
Parents have the right to opt their child out of testing, whether state-mandated
or not. However, taking a
standardized test can be a great way to practice test-taking skills that will
be needed when the child takes the ACT, SAT or other college entrance exams.
My top priorities are:
1) Ensure all students and
their families have access to a full and well-rounded PreK-12 experience;
2)
Improve relationships and transparency between the School Board, AAPS staff and
the broader community.
I attended two of the public forums, read as much as I
could, talked with parents, staff and administrators and yet I am not convinced
there is much of an advantage for AAPS except additional dollars. There are still many questions that are
unsettling to taxpayers and staff.
If I had to vote today, I would vote no. Voters in Ann Arbor and
Whitmore Lake will vote on this issue the same day new Board members are
selected. If elected, I will work to
implement their decision.
I believe the three new programs have been a good
decision. Northside K-8 Steam,
Pathways to Success and International Baccalaureate have brought
new enthusiasm and options for in-district families and those outside taking
advantage of the Schools of Choice.
The outsourcings of the custodians’ could/should have been handled differently. I believe they should have been given time and opportunity to present their proposal that could have made a major difference in the final outcome.
The outsourcings of the custodians’ could/should have been handled differently. I believe they should have been given time and opportunity to present their proposal that could have made a major difference in the final outcome.
If elected, I will work collaboratively with the remaining
Board members and the newly elected members to continue to promote high
achievement for all the students we serve and maintain the highly-qualified
staff we have that make this an “Exceptional” school district.
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