Campaign Phone
5177455211
I grew up in Parma and went to Western School District K-12. My amazing experience during that time is the reason my wife and I moved to the district. We wanted our daughter to have that same experience.
I have been attending the working sessions and regular meetings for about the past year to listen and learn. I have also met with administrators and other local school board members to learn from their experience.
As a father of a daughter who attends the school, I intend to take this role very seriously and will continue to learn and grow even during my time in the position.
We need to ensure that we are first excelling at our primary goal, educating our children. Michigan is ranked nearly dead last in the US when it comes to our tests scores. For far too long the conversations at school board meetings around the state have been more focused on social agendas.
While it is important that our students feel safe and welcome, I believe we have been distracted from our primary goal.
It's important to help our children find their strengths and help to nurture them. For some that may be getting into college. For others, it may be developing the skills to thrive in one of our many trades.
It will come down to wants vs needs. We must ensure we have the resources, staffing and facilities to safely and effectively educate our children. It's important to me that we look out for and maintain our strong teachers during a time of cuts.
We will retain and reward those who strongly invest in our children. I have seen many amazing teachers let go during times of cuts simply because they have been around too long and cost too much.
We NEED strong teachers. There will be WANTS we can cut.
It comes down to something a great leader I know says all the time. "Treat everyone with love, kindness and respect."
I believe the State's first step of limiting phone usage in the classroom is a great first step. Phones are a distraction during a time of learning.
The main issue with social media is cyber bullying. Schools need to treat this just as serious as if the bullying occured during school hours.
I believe creating a strong partnership with parents can help create an environment where we work together to protect our kids at school and online.
Campaign Phone
5178128988
I have been on the Western School District Board of Education since 2010 and am presently the secretary. I am a 1974 Western High School graduate. I am passionate about local history from my own three children graduating from Western High School back to the homesteading of the Bean family. My mother was part of the Bean family which created one of the four school districts that consolidated to form the Western School District. They settled in Spring Arbor Township in 1829. By 1841, Bean School District was the first chartered school district in Jackson County. My father was president of the Bean School District before it consolidated with Woodville School District, Spring Arbor School District, and Parma School District to form the Western School District.
A school board has three responsibilities, 1) to hire a superintendent, 2) to be the responsible fiduciary, and 3) to develop school district policies. A school board member does not come with hidden agendas. The priorities revolve around increasing the achievement and performance of the student. This will maintain our high ranking in the state as well as our high ranking in US News and World Report.
The priority is to be fiscally responsible and working within a budget that does not jeopardize the district’s future. Western’s history shows that cuts begin as far from the student’s education as possible. We do not make a budget by cutting teachers or student educational services. I say we because the school board is seven people not one person.
The Board sets the culture of the district. This creates a strong team of the Superintendent and Principals to provide a safe and inviting environment. This involves staff to know the student personally and to involve the parents (care giver) to understand the needs of the student. This welcoming attitude includes the board members being present at events and activities in all the buildings. We are approachable for comments and concerns.
AI is being intertwined in the culture of using technology in a positive learning experience. It is being demonstrated as a learning enhancement tool not as a pathway to plagiarism. The State has published its rules for social media. Western School District Policy is more robust than the state mandates. The Board of Education has developed a common sense approach to the usage of technology at each grade level and student maturity.
Campaign Phone
5177847225
I have been a member of the Western School Board for 17 years. I started at Western as a student teacher, and was hired as a regular employee upon college graduation. I coached (MS football, girls track, etc.), was a student council advisor and play director. I spent 25 years as a middle school principal and served on the Michigan Association of Secondary Principals and North Central Accreditation Board. Later, I was asked to become Curriculum Director and also served as the Executive Director of the Michigan Association of Middle School Educators. My daughters are both Western grads, and I have four grandchildren who have graduated from Western or are currently enrolled there. I have taken over thirty classes to continue to improve my knowledge of what being a board member entails.
I want to maintain and further enhance the Western School District culture. Conservative values & fiscal responsibility are two important objectives, but our number one priority is "enabling ALL students to succeed", the Western School District mission statement which I proudly helped to develop. I will endeavor to help our community feel the same pride in and passion for Western that I feel!
The classroom is the most important feature of any district so any "cuts" should be as far away from the students and teachers in the classroom as possible. Thankfully, I have been an integral part of a fiscally responsible school board and we have maintained a solid fund equity over the history of the district. We have not had a layoff of employees since 1981! Our community has been very supportive of our schools--part of the Western culture I hope to maintain and build upon.
As a principal, I personally welcomed each family and gave them an individual tour--to hopefully acclimate them to our building but also our programs and staff. With the advent of schools of choice,
I want all students and families, both in-district and schools of choice to feel they have an important place in our district. Many of our district residents are Western grads themselves and I truly believe and practice the concept of the "Western family!"
Students embrace and utilize technology throughout their lives. With the recent change in law, districts had to develop a policy regarding tech use in the building. Western was the first area school district to provide 1-to-1 computers for our students. Used correctly, student learning can be accelerated & individualized through its use. I believe that we have taken the correct approach by hiring specialists whose sole responsibility is to help teachers improve learning through technology.
I have had the privilege of serving on the Western School Board since 2009, including serving as Vice President for the past several years. During my time on the board, our district has successfully passed two bonds that have allowed us to build new facilities, improve existing ones, and continue creating an outstanding learning environment for our students both in and out of the classroom.
Most importantly, I am a parent of five children. Three of my children are graduates of Western, while two are currently students—a senior and a freshman in high school. My family’s experiences have given me a deeply personal connection to the district and a genuine understanding of what Western means to the families and students we serve.
My passion for Western schools is one of my greatest assets.
My top priorities are to continue to make Western the school of choice in the county. We can continue to do that by being fiscally responsible, hiring the best candidates when jobs are available, and looking for ways to innovate and create a wonderful learning environment. A school board member needs to take a big-picture approach; overseeing the budget, hiring and evaluating a superintendent, and setting policy are the objectives in every decision I make.
Our students must remain the top priority when considering any potential budget reductions. Every budget decision should be carefully evaluated with the goal of keeping the impact on our students and their educational experience as far away as possible.
Fortunately, our current board and administration have positioned Western in a strong financial position, giving the district the ability to weather potential short-term funding reductions while continuing to provide for our students.
Western has entrusted our administrators and teachers with providing a welcoming, supportive environment for all students and their families. The Board’s responsibility is to establish and uphold policies that empower our professionals to do their jobs effectively. By trusting their expertise and supporting their work, we can continue to make Western the strong and welcoming school community it is today.
The ever evolving landscape of technology is a challenge that our society as a whole faces. The school board needs to continue to set policy that empowers our administrators and teachers to guide our students into the future. There needs to be a balance between harnessing the technology for our students' advantage and making sure they are not abusing it.
