League of Women Voters of Ohio Education Fund
Hamilton County, OH November 8, 2005 Election
	Harriet Russell Answers Questions Candidate for Board Member; Cincinnati City School District

Questions & Answers

1. What are your Qualifications for Office? (50 word limit)

Member, Cincinnati Board of Education, 1994-Present; Chairperson, Personnel & Program Committee; Member, Finance Committee; Chairperson, Facilities Committee, 1999, 2001; Board Vice President, 2000, 2004, 2005. President, Greater Cincinnati Credit Union Board Member, Wilshire Funds Teacher, Heinhold Jr. H.S., 3 yrs Walnut Hills H.S., 27 yrs

2. What plans do you have to address your top three priorities? (100 word limit)

Student achievement will be raised by redesigning/restructuring schools with smaller classes, teams of committed, highly-qualified teachers who are supported by other staff, parents, and business/community partners. Cincinnati Public Schools have established standards in every grade and course. Teachers trained in the standards, covering the standards, measuring students to the standards, will be measured by their effectiveness in teaching the standards.

I will continue to support 1) the Superintendent and Treasurer to reduce expenditures while giving priority support to teaching and learning in the classroom; 2) the implementation of the Facilities Master Plan on time and within approved funding, 3) the school-community planning process developing community learning centers to support students and families

3. What will you do as a Board of Education member to increase parental involvement in your school system? (100 word limit)

Increasing parental involvement begins by making every parent feel welcome and needed in every school. Parents and caring adults must come to believe that schools need them to help every student succeed. I will 1)continue to support superintendent Rosa Blackwell in our customer training for all employees; 2)continue to support the activities of Parents for Public Schools and other organizations; 3)continue to support the community engagement promoted by Citizens School Committee. My commitment is to work collaboratively to increase parental involvement.

Everyone must work together so that every student will succeed.

4. What is the most pressing issue facing the Cincinnati Public Schools? (100 word limit)

To continue to improve student performance is the most pressing issue facing CPS. All of our actions and decisions should be focused on strengthening student learning and building support for our students.

5. Please describe what you consider the most important roles and responsibilities of a school board member. (100 word limit)

• To establish and appraise educational goals for the Cincinnati Public Schools
• To pass upon matters of policy
• To consider recommendations of the Superintendent
• To select and evaluate the Superintendent and Treasurer
• Adopt the annual budget
• To provide the funds necessary to finance the operation of schools
• To make rules for the operation of the schools
• To solicit and weigh public opinion as it affects the schools, and to inform the public concerning the progress and needs of the schools
• To provide the legal oversight for the implementation of the $985 million Facilities Plan

6. How would you, as a school board member, improve student achievement for all students? What would you do to close the achievement gap? (100 word limit)

To improve student achievement for all students would require more professional development for principals and teachers in standards, content and examples of effective lessons/activities and the opportunity/training for parents/caregivers of our students to work with their children to support their learning concurrent with our development of support in our community learning centers.

Increased intervention after benchmark testing should be supported by the district's budget and by community volunteers and organizations.

7. What would you do to ensure the district remains on solid financial footing? (100 word limit)

In 2006 those persons who run for the legislature and statewide office must be interviewed and ONLY supported when they make a solid commitment to solid financial funding of K-12 public education.

CPS must intensify its marking efforts to recruit students and families.