Why am I running for the Indian Hill School Board?

By Muhit Rahman

We have a great school district--but we can do much better. First, we must have a vision for the future--and then we must dare to be great!

How? It's not just a question of how much money we spend or how many teachers we hire--although we all know that a strong financial footing and a low teacher-to-student ratio are important. And it's not just about "spending it right"--wise money management should be a minimum threshold. Ultimately, the performance of our schools arises from our vision of what our school district and students can achieve. And I believe they can achieve the very best; indeed, we should settle for nothing less.

Toward that end, if elected to the school board, I will approach the job with an open, probing mind, taking nothing for granted. I will critically evaluate all curriculum and textbook requirements. I will keep an attentive ear turned to students, staff, parents, and other district residents. I will seek to maintain open and honest communication with and between constituent groups at all times. I will draw on my professional skills to bring rigor to the district's management. And of course I will draw on my personal experience to lend a global perspective to our children's education. But most of all, I will challenge the administration, faculty and students to plot a bold course towards shattering all current benchmarks of excellence. It's time to dare to be great.

My wife Annie and I have three children who attend three of the district's four schools. Between the children, we have accumulated 16 `child school years' of experience in the district. Some of you may know me as a former coach for your son's or daughter's soccer team. Others may know me from the Middle School's Scrabble Club or from Boy Scout outings in previous years. Still others may know me as the co-founder of the Indian Hill Scholars group, an online discussion group for district parents of high school students. In the coming weeks, I hope to get to know all of you better. I invite you to call or email me with any questions you might have. I look forward to hearing from you.