What I Stand For

Equal Access to Educational Resources

it doesn't matter how good your facilities or staff or sports programs are if students do not have access to them. We need to ask if our great academic and athletic programs are accessible to all our students and families. In academics, we are moving quickly to technology-based education. This has greatly accelerated due to Covid19. I see the benefit of technology and virtual learning but wonder if some students with fewer technology resources are being left behind. Have we carefully thought out and planned out technology infusions? Are we partnering with internet service providers to ensure students in rural areas (and all students) have reliable high speed internet connections? Are we providing students with devices they can use to access the educational resources SAS is providing? In my decades of teaching I have seen a divide between the top 25% of students and the bottom 25%. It is often easy for top tier students to be successful. They are often driven, self-motivated, supported at home, and have access. All that needs to be done for them is to provide the resources and environment for learning and they excel. But what about those who are less fortunate? How do Saline Schools make academic success available to those students who face challenges economically, emotionally, and physically? As a board trustee I am committed to removing as many obstacles to access as possible.

School Safety

It is incumbent on schools and school officials to ensure the safety of all students at all times. That includes physical, emotional, and psychological safety. No school or school official should ever allow physical, emotional, and psychological harm to come to a child in their care. Children need to be protected from all forms of abuse and attacks. This includes everything from selecting age appropriate content to surveillance in the halls and parking lots. In our current crisis caused by Covid19 it is incumbent upon school officials to manage the health and safety of in person schooling according to CDC and State guidelines. If they cannot accomplish that in person, schools have the responsibility of providing equally rigorous and safe virtual learning environments to ensure all students can learn.

Bullying and Discrimination

I have been a vocal advocate within the Saline school for decades for fair treatment for ALL students. The current board policy regarding bullying is robust and does not allow bullying or discrimination of any sort. Beyond that, all people have human dignity based on the mere fact that they are human, apart from race, creed, gender or any other factor and are given unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness by our Creator, as written in our Constitution. I firmly believe that any bullying behavior in our schools is not a result of insufficient policies, rather, a result of two things (1) poor behavior by people, and (2) failure to consistently apply the current policies in all situations and for all students. As a board trustee I will ensure that anti bullying policies (and all school policies) are applied consistently and compassionately with the goal of keeping schools safe for all students and staff.

In recent years we have witnessed a level of polarization in society markedly worse than in past decades. This has often lead to breakdown of communication, failure to listen to ideas different than our own, and people acting poorly toward each other. As a board trustee I will foster a culture of mutual respect in light of our many diverse differences. I will listen with empathy but I will stand against any subgroup of our school community shouting down or ostracizing any other or group. I will not abide groups of people stating, “You are wrong because you don’t think or act or look like I do!” I will do all in my ability to give ALL stakeholders a voice, as is their right.

Partnering with Local Businesses

What if SAS partnered with local businesses to allow teachers--say every 5-10 years--to have a one-year "internship sabbatical" and then return to teaching. Some possible benefits would be (1) teachers not getting stale, and getting a needed emotional break from the classroom, (2) teachers experiencing new and practical ways to apply concepts real-world applications, (3) teachers keeping up to date with industry standards and current technological advancements. These three benefits would apply to students as well as teachers. I can see offshoots of a program like this such as teachers having a pathway to post-teaching careers by gaining experience, networking, and building relationships, and teachers building relationships that could lead to co-op and internship appointments for their students. I see this as win-win for schools and businesses.

SAS as a Distance Learning Hub

We need to think outside the box and cast off traditional paradigms of education. Becoming a distance learning hub like some small colleges and universities in Michigan (see an example here) would allow SAS to share their greatest assets: innovative and exceptional teachers with a much wider population. Imagine if students from the inner cities could join our classes, or students from other states, countries, or continents? This would enrich the learning experience for our students as well as those joining virtually--it could even be a non-traditional form of revenue generation! As a board trustee I will work to establish SAS as a distance learning hub.

Revenue Generation

In the past SAS has relied only on traditional paradigms of revenue generation. This limited the schools to ask tax payers or state funding sources for more and more--or cut staff wages and benefits in hard times. While these traditional funding sources will still be a large part of achieving fiscal solvency, they are not enough. With state funding shrinking and costs increasing, especially due to the Covid19 pandemic, we can no longer rely only on taxpayers to fund the schools. As a teacher of almost three decades, I find the practice of using teachers as "funding sources" abhorrent! The Saline School leadership has to have a plan for alternative sources of funding. They have to be visionaries reimagining new financial opportunities like forging business partnerships (see above), increasing student access to school choice, and becoming a distance learning hub. Has anyone ever reached out to DTE executives and asked them to install solar or wind energy generation systems on our school grounds as a way to save money and teach students about alternative energy sources? I will.

Diversity and Inclusion

Students

I believe that diversity enriches all aspects of education. Traditionally SAS has been a fairly homogenous student and staff population. When I began teaching in Saline in the early 1990’s it was a rural, mostly Caucasian, and of European descent demographic. Over the past several decades this has blossomed into a richer and more diverse people. Increasing school of choice and establishing SAS as a distance learning hub will increase diversity in the student population.

All students should have mirrors to see themselves in, and windows to see what is other than themselves, the beauty, creativity, and diversity that exists in our global society. I laud the efforts of teachers to give students opportunities to experience other cultures, races, religions, and practices. I am concerned that some have gone too far in the name of diversity, and in so doing have removed the mirrors and blocked out some of the windows, forcing a "narrow diversity" upon students and shaming or blaming some students for who they are. This is unacceptable in a pluralistic and charitable society. As a board member I will ensure that ALL races, religions, cultures, and practices are celebrated and that students are never made to feel bad for being who they are.

Staff

The growth in cultural diversity will make her a stronger community but it won't happen without effort. I believe that the diversity of the staff and administrations should not be manufactured, but we should strive to hire not only excellently skilled staff but culturally diverse staff as well. I am pleased that the district has taken a step forward with recent staff hirings.

Vocational Programs

With rising costs of higher education, and many students coming out college with costly degrees and jobs that don’t allow them to pay off the debt—or no job at all, I am committed to being mindful of alternative paths to success such as vocational classes. My own children have participated in and had great experiences in vocational classes taught at the High School. Indeed, SAS are known as a hub for vocational education. But many of our vocational studies require specified machinery and labs. As we transition to virtual education, it is incumbent on SAS to find a way to continue to provide excellent vocational education. As a board trustee I will work to forge business partnerships that provide pathways to vocational schools and careers once our vocational students graduate.

Recruiting and Keeping the Best of the Best

As a former teacher I am grateful for the financial resources I received from the district, and ultimately the citizens of Saline. The sad reality is that there have been fewer "great years" than "difficult years" from a financial point of view in recent decades for schools and teachers. I have been shocked by the high level of defections from teachers in recent years, to other schools or other professions. I am a living example of this. As a single wage earner of a growing—and large—family, I was unable to remain in the teaching profession and still provide for the needs of my family. Saline Schools have historically been known for its excellent teachers (the Liz Moores, Bob Marceros, and Dr. Hassbergers, to name a few). I am convinced that if the district wants to recruit, and keep, the best of the best they need to provide wages and benefits that are commensurate with that desire. As a board trustee I will seek out ways to generate revenue in order to accomplish this.

Balanced Calendar and other Innovations to Traditional School Calendars

I am on the record for being open to looking into all innovative ideas regarding school calendars. We need to weigh the benefits and face the obstacles each presents with honesty and openness. I see the benefits ranging from less loss of retention due to shorter breaks and emotional breaks for students and teachers. I see the obstacles of loss of traditional “summer jobs” to aligning sport schedules and consortium schedules with other schools not following a balanced calendar—not to mention possible nightmares for those families needing day care services. I have had robust dialogue about this and from what I understand so far, the obstacles may outweigh the benefits. The reasons I would consider a balanced schedule is if it was supported by families in the district and showed data-based evidence for improving student achievement.

Educational Philosophy

My philosophy as an educator centers on teaching students to be independent learners, team players, and most importantly, problem-solvers. These process skills supersede rote “content knowledge” but cannot be separated from it. In order to be a successful life-long learner, students must master content knowledge as well as practice the three aforementioned process skills…There are seven pillars of learning that my instruction is built upon:

1.) Instruction should be delivered to accommodate multiple intelligences and various learning styles; All students can reach mastery with sufficient support structures in place.

2.) Excellence in education is a culture; a way of life. It must be inculcated every day and supported at all levels by all stakeholders.

3.) Students must be able to apply knowledge of content to real world situations.

4.) Instruction in mathematics and science must be coherent and incremental, building on previous knowledge as well as laying the foundation for future learning.

5.) Repetition is the basis of all learning; practice leads to mastery. “Tell them what they are going to learn, teach them, tell them what you taught them, and give them opportunities to practice on their own.”

6.) If students are to really invest in the learning process, teaching should be delivered with passion, enthusiasm and love for of the content being taught; learning should be fun.

7.) In an increasingly global society, content knowledge cannot not exist in a vacuum, but must be aligned with current state, national, and even global core standards.