Candidate for
Board Member; Cincinnati City School District

Who am I and what are some of my ideas? My background includes real estate as a career for more than 30 years. I am an investor with a couple of million dollars in real estate, a broker and Realtor, have written 5 books over the past two decades on real estate, appear on two public access television shows, and publish a small newspaper called What's Happening In Hyde Park,

As a second career, I have become a substitute teacher. This experience has given me a better understanding of the problems facing the urban the Norwood city schools and St. Bemard/Elmwood schools and this fall will include CPS. The following are some of my ideas to help improve the schools:

1. Return respect to the teachers and principals. One way would be to propose that kids that perpetually disrupt be sent to special schools or charter schools to deal with their behavior problems. Such schools should have qualified teachers that can turn them around.

2. Get parents more involved. Studies have shown that when urban schools get more parent involvement, their kids improve with better attendance and attitude. One 3 year pilot method used in Sacramento, California that was very effective was to have teachers visit each child's parents at their home at least once during the school year. The teachers often visited in pairs. It was so successful that California is doing it statewide. Another way is training parents to become mentors and volunteers. I would have the Board view these ideas to see if we could do this here.
3. Develop better pay for better performance. When teachers and principals obtain a high rate of the passing of standardized tests for their class or in other ways show they are doing a great job, they should be rewarded with bonuses or some sort of pay for their better performance.

4. Support Adamowski: I believe this superintendent is one of the best we've ever had. If he remains here, I would most likely vote for many of his ideas. Currently, the board of education remains divided in either favoring the union's wishes or choosing Adamowski ideas. So if you want him to succeed, having me as a board member would be helpful.

5. Rid the system of poor performing teachers and principals. I would try to modify or change the clause or clauses in the Union contract that makes it very difficult to discipline or drop poor performing or bad teachers and principals, especially the arbitration feature whereby arbitrators almost always rule in favor of the bad teacher.

6. Encourage more community schools.