27J board of directors look to the future

This is the final article in a School District 27J series celebrating the work and vision our Board of Education members. For this last article, the board members were asked about their hopes and goals for the district.
I hope that District 27J will adjust to the financial constraints that are in our future with minimal changes to our student's education.

I hope that the district will continue to provide a great learning environment that embraces diversity and honor and respect to all.

I hope that the district will remain a stable and fair employer that our staff is proud to work for.

I hope that the district will exceed our academic achievement level and continue to improve, as we have in the past.

I hope that the district will communicate to all stakeholders, to insure that we understand the needs of all.

I hope that the district will represent to this community that we are here to provide the best education possible for all our futures.

-President Lynn Ann Sheats, District 7

My hope for the School District is that each parent and every business person in the community will spend at least three hours in a classroom this year. We encourage parent participation and would love to have more parental involvement. If your work does not allow you to come during the day, please, participate in your school(s)'s PTO/PTA group.

The board will continue to have "community linkage" meetings so that we have the opportunity to engage many members of our school district in our discussions of the district's "ends."

-Vice President Joan Kniss, District 4

My hopes for our school district are quite simple. We need to drive down the costs of providing our educational services to respond to shrinking revenues. We must simultaneously improve the quality and the value of the services we provide.

While this sounds daunting, I firmly believe the opportunity exists to meet this goal for 2010 and beyond. Dr. Blunck and his team will need to figure out the mechanics of accomplishing this goal and that group is fully capable, though their task will not be easy.

The board has an equally daunting task of setting laser-focused expectations for the school district. The board has made it clear that academics are the No. 1 priority and our constituency has made it very clear that academics are a priority to them as well.

The board needs to have the courage to support many of the difficult decisions Dr. Blunck’s team will make in the coming years as we streamline and improve our academic offerings and trim those offerings that do not support the top priority, academic achievement.

I believe in people, especially when their backs are up against the wall. I am confident the board, district employees, and the community will accomplish the goal of reducing costs while improving services, provided we all keep the best interests of our children, and only their interests, in mind.

-Brian Madison, District 1

Our school district is growing fast and we need to offer more learning facilities, continue current educational programs and provide resources for our students. One challenge we are facing is community support in funding for District 27J. Another of my hopes is to offer programs that will assist in increasing the graduation rate in 27J and that continually help students work toward performance expectations.

-Kristi Crisman, District 2

My most pressing hope is that we will not suffer too much here in 27J in light of the budget cuts that we will be facing in the next few years. Our role, obviously, will be to consider all choices that need to be made and then approve an agreed-upon budget prepared by our superintendent and staff.

I believe that we will be facing some serious and tough choices this coming year. My overall hope for the district is the same as it always has been; consistent and continued improvement in the quality of education for all students in 27J, every school year.

- Russ Carr, District 3

With a recovering economy, the challenge of keeping classroom size will be great. This year the district grew by 800 students. Even with residential growth slowing our student population is gaining. I aim for the district to be ahead of this growth, not behind.

Immediate issues are funding from the state, district mill levy and bonding for future schools. There are questions we should be considering: What will the new schools look like? Will they be traditional instruction or specialized instruction? What role will online education play in the future?

-Patrick Day, District 5

The goals and vision I have for the school district correspond to the goals set by the public through community meetings the board has held this past year. The top goal for the district is academic excellence and continued improvement. The school district is making significant improvement in the graduation rate and expects to increase on the ACT scores over the next several years. The preparation for post-high school remains a top priority as the district prepares all students for college, junior college, trade schools, the military or productive work placement.

The factors that have the biggest impact on the success of the school district are; excellent teachers, dedicated parents, and reliable community support.

I encourage all parents to spend up to two hours a night working with their children on their school homework and their academic skills.

I ask our community to visit our district and experience the commitment of the staff, parents and students as the district strives for continued academic success in 2010.

-Todd Cordrey, District 6