School Board Survey NWLEA

8/7/2019 School Board Survey NWLEA

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Dear

NWLEA/PSEA Election Committee4989 Winding RoadNew Tripoli, Pennsylvania 18066

We, members of the NWLEA, greatly appreciate your interest in ourcommunity's public schools. This is indeed a critical time for the future of theNorthwestern Lehigh School District. As major stakeholders in the district, we wouldlike to learn as much as we can about the school board candidates' positions on the issuesthat affect the education we can offer our students. To help us understand your views, wehope you will take the time to complete and return the enclosed survey. Due to timeconstraints, we are asking you to respond within a week. We are enclosing a stamped,self-addressed , but if it is easier, please feel free to respond bye-mail to:

Cordially,()MM ; WwJvAdtAnn Towne & Patrice Tritt, Co chairsEnclosure


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School District: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

2011PSEA

School DirectorQuestionnaire

Candidate Name

Candidate Signature

Pennsylvania State Education Association400 N. Third Street, Box 1724Harrisburg, PA 17105-1724


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2011 PSEA SCHOOL DIRECTOR QUESTIONNAIRE(Please Print or Type)

Name ofCandidate:Address:

E-mail Address:Does or will the campaign have a web page? ___ Yes___ NoIf so, the address is:Telephone Number: (Home)_______________

(Office)______________(Cell)______________

Democrat Republican _-- ' -__Crossfiled? Yes No- - -Campaign Chair:Campaign Treasurer:

Candidate Campaign Committee:Campaign Committee Address:

Campaign Committee E-mail:

School District-------------------------County/Counties in School District----------------------

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Philosophy ofEducation1. Why have you decided to be a candidate for the school board?

Comments:

2. What is your view of the purpose of public education?Comments:

3. What are your top five objectives if elected to the school board?Comments:

4. Do you oppose public tax support of private and parochial schools through a system of tuition vouchers ortuition tax credits?Yes No--- ---Comments:

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5. Privatization, or the corporate takeover, of public services is receiving increasing attention. Would youoppose efforts to allow private companies to provide the services now offered by our public school districtsuch as custodian, transportation or food services?Yes No- - - ---Comments:

6. Do you have children in public schools or did you have children attend public schools when they wereyounger? Do you have children in private or parochial schools or did your children attend non-publicschools when they were younger?Comments:

7. Would you please list your volunteer activities within the school or your community?

8. How would you respond to a parent who wants the district to limit access to, or remove books from, aschool library?Comments:

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9. Have you ever attended a school board meeting? Under what circumstances were you there?

Personal Philosophy10. As a school director, which of the following will be the most important to you?__ Holding the line on taxes at all costs

__ Providing the best possible curriculum, textbooks and new technology even if it means anincrease in taxes.

Comments:

Employee Rights11. What is your overall opinion about organized labor?

Comments:

12. What are your views on public education employee collective bargaining rights?Comments:

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13 . Would you support binding arbitration as an acceptable method to bring closure to labor disputes in ourschool district?Yes No- - - ---Comments:

14 . What is your opinion on the right of school employees to strike?

School Reform15 . There is much discussion of "education reform." What would you consider to be the important

elements of education reform?Comments:

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16.

17.

I The terms "charter school" and "cyber school" are popular buzzwords in education. In some ways,charter and cyber schools can serve a purpose to provide for experimentation in education, but inother instances, it is a euphemism for corporate or private take-over of schools for profit. In eithercase, charter and cyber schools have diverted large sums of money from public schools. What isyour philosophy on charter and cyber schools?

Would you be willing to meet with our local association members, on a regular basis, to discuss issues ofimportance to children and education in our school district?YesComments:

No

18. Do you support all day kindergarten and reduced class size (classes no larger than 18-20) in K_3 rd grades?Yes No--- - - -Comments:

If yes, what steps will you take to institute reduced class size within our school district?

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19. Although the state sets the minimum certified school nurse to student ratio at one nurse to every 1500students, would you be willing to instate a policy that lessens the ratio in our district. Additionally, wouldyou consider instituting ratios for guidance counselors?YesComments:

School Funding

No

20. Tax reform is a subject of ongoing debate in the state Legislature. Do you think additional school taxreform is needed? Would you support completely eliminating the property tax as the primary vehicle forlocal school funding?YesComments:

No

21. The issue of education funding has been an ongoing debate in the legislature for many years. Would yousupport changes to Pennsylvania ' s education funding formula that would both increase equity and thepercentage of state support?YesComments:

No

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22. The backend referendum requirements of Act 1 of Special Session 2006 prohibit school districts fromraising taxes above a set rate unless the school board gains voter approval. Would you support seeking areferendum to increase taxes above the rate of inflation, if deemed necessary?YesComments:

No

23. Act 1 of Special Session 2006 does permit school boards with the ability to raise tax rates above the rateof inflation without seeking voter approval in limited instances, when school districts have what aredeemed "exceptable" costs. Typically, these are costs over which school boards have little or nodiscretion, such as special education costs. Would you support seeking all available exceptions to avoidcostly and polarizing backend referendum ballot questions?YesComments:

No

IF ADDITIONAL SPACE IS NEEDED FOR ANY OF THE ABOVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE USE ASEPARATE SHEET AND ATTACH TO THIS QUESTIONNAIRERETURN TO:

20 II School Director QuestionnaireJanuary I. 20 II

NameAddress

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Documents

School Board Survey NWLEA