Candidate for
Director; Upper Dublin School District

I moved to Upper Dublin in 1988 because of the reputation of the school district and would like to serve on the School Board to help maintain the quality of the schools and serve my community.

These are challenging times for school districts. I am committed to maintaining programs and services that distinguish our schools to the extent possible within fiscal constraints and economic conditions. To achieve this goal, we must examine new methods and ideas for use of technology, staffing and compensation, operations and infrastructure, and revenue generation. We must also review all aspects of district operations for effectiveness and reduce costs on anything that does not benefit students. In addition, I would like to see increased collaboration with regional districts in areas where cost savings can be realized.

We have a responsibility to provide a quality education to all students. I support efforts to reduce the achievement gap and don't want to make decisions that would jeopardize district progress in this regard. I also believe in the importance of the arts, technology, athletics, and extracurricular activities as well as academics for developing character and producing well-rounded students. Our methods and practices must evolve to equip our students with critical thinking and communication skills to compete in the global economy, and that may mean dropping conventional practices and instituting new ones. I am a believer in evidence-based policy decisions and consider performance data and research on best practices to be important inputs for evaluation of programs and services.

I would like Upper Dublin to remain a desirable place to live and a community that values education. In addition to being the right thing to do, it helps maintain property values in the township.