The three candidates vying for two seats on the School Committee were asked to answer two questions in as many words as they liked by Sunday, March 15, and the Web site would publish their words just as they had written them.

The questions: What do you see as the top problem facing the Arlington public schools in the next three years? What would you do as a School Committee member to try to fix that problem?

There was no length limit, and the candidates words were published as submitted. Here is how each responded and are presented in the order received:

Response from Cindy Starks

The top problem facing the Arlington Public Schools in the next three years is without a doubt the budget. With ever decreasing funding for our schools, we are going to have continue to learn how to do more with less and make every dollar stretch as much as possible to continue to meet the needs of every student.

As a school committee member, I would start this budget process by combing through the budget looking for efficiencies and ways to save. For example, our schools spend almost $2,000,000 in energy costs – that’s electricity, gas and oil combined. Could using an energy broker bring down our electricity and natural gas costs? And what about our usage, can we reduce that by turning down the heat a little and installing better lighting, windows, and programmable thermostats? What other measures could be taken to conserve and how can we get students involved and tie it into the curriculum to make it a learning experience for all?

Second we need to find ways to do things more efficiently. Can we combine other departments between the town and schools as was done with the IT department? Not only does this save money for both the schools and the town, but it also brings our town closer together, enabling us to work better together. Are there efficiencies to be found within the schools as well in finding ways to work together and teach each other best practices?

Third we make sure that we are working closely with our legislators to ensure that the education of our children remains a top priority and that we are always getting every funding dollar that we can. We also need to work with our legislators to help them give towns and cities the tools we need to better fund education. Tools such as additional local funding options other than prop. 21/2 overrides and more healthcare options than just the GIC to help us get healthcare costs under control. We also have to work with our legislators to come up with a plan to create sustainable funding solutions to stop economic ups and downs from having such drastic effects on our children’s education.

Fourth, we continue to develop partnerships with private and public organizations and businesses to bring additional funds and resources into our schools. Whether in the form of grants, training or barter, we need to be open to talking to anyone interested in helping to fund the education of our children. Even if private money can’t fund education, it can be used to make schools and teachers more effective.

And finally, we need to put every program on the table and ask what student needs are being met with this program? Can we serve more students if we do it differently? What if we employ new teaching techniques (such as differentiated instruction) within the classroom rather than separate programs for different groups? We need to ask if each program is cost effective and an efficient use of our funds. Are there classes that we teach that are out of date or could be combined with others to better use teaching resources? From struggling learners to gifted students, we must first define what students need and then ensure that we meet all students’ needs.

The budget and getting it under control will take a collaborative effort of elected and appointed school and town officials, teachers, administration, parents, and legislators. As a school committee member, I would work hard at the local and state level to always keep the education of our children foremost in the minds of those who can help further it. I would work with the other members of the school committee to create a budget that uses our money wisely and meets the needs of every child from the struggling to the gifted learner to reach the high expectations we have for them all. 

Response from Jeff Thielman

The top problem facing the Arlington Public Schools during the next three years will be how to deliver high quality, 21st century education to all students at all learning levels with fewer financial resources. Because of an uncertain economy and doubt about when another override will be before the voters (or whether that override will pass), our challenge will be to do more for our students and spend less doing it. 

Over the past six years, the Arlington Public Schools have spent slightly less than the statewide average to educate each student in the district.  During the last three fiscal years, the Committee has made $3 million in cuts to live within the five-year fiscal stability plan. Despite the reductions, new reading, math support, counseling, and other programs have been added.  Our students on average outperform their peers across the state as measured by standardized test scores. We have many superb teachers and motivated students.  While I certainly want more resources for our schools, to continue to be an attractive place for a young person to receive a quality education, the School Committee will have to creatively use the funds it receives from the town, state and federal governments. 

With six years of service on the School Committee, 12 years of experience working at the secondary level in urban schools across the country, and three years of volunteer service in an educational program in the Third World, I bring a unique perspective to the work the School Committee will do over the next three years. 

Obviously, the Committee will need to advocate for more resources for our schools. This will include continued lobbying of the state legislature for more funding for K-12 education as well as working with the Board of Selectmen, the Finance Committee, and other groups in Arlington to support an override.  I co-chaired the override and five-year fiscal stability campaign of 2005 and have served as a member of the Advocacy Committee of the Massachusetts Association of School Committee (MASC), which sets legislative priorities for the statewide association.  I am prepared to share my experience with my colleagues to secure as much funding as possible for the Arlington Public Schools.  
 
At the same time that the Committee advocates for more funds locally and at the state level, the District will need to find ways to generate more revenue locally through grants and to reduce costs.  I will urge the Committee to bring more out-of-district special education students back in district, saving the schools money and allowing these young people to have a better education closer to home.  I will push the district to accept more students on F-1 Visas, young people from other nations who will pay the actual cost per student to attend Arlington’s schools.  Finally, I believe the District could realize more revenue and satisfy many demands in the community through an expanded Community Education Program, something I’ve advocated for many years.

Providing a high quality education to all learners means the School Committee has to make sure it listens to parents, teachers, staff, and students. The Committee needs to know what programs are working and which ones are not working. Are there programs that can be run more efficiently?  Can we better utilize the district’s personnel? If re-elected, I will urge my colleagues to continue to attend PTO meetings and conduct surveys to ascertain the public’s thoughts on the many challenges facing the committee.

A most critical part of providing a quality education to all learners will be deciding who should be the district’s permanent Superintendent of Schools. The district currently has an Interim Superintendent, Kathleen Bodie, Ph.D.  I will urge my colleagues to conduct surveys and focus groups with parents, teachers, administrative staff, community leaders, and others to develop a profile for a permanent Superintendent. Such a process also will allow the School Committee to articulate a vision and a set of goals for the district over the next three to five years. 

To assure a high quality, 21st century education for all students, the School Committee needs to continue to articulate a yearly goal statement, which includes a set of objectives, ways to measure the achievement of each objective, and a process that allows the public to see the progress being made on each goal. This process began in 2005-06, during my term as Chair of the Committee and has helped the district make improvements in several areas during the past few years.

Part of the goal process will be to focus on ensuring that all programs offered prepare young people for the challenges of the 21st century. While we do not know everything that students will need to learn to be successful in the 21st century, we know they must be critical thinkers and learners, need greater exposure to science and technology, and must be prepared to change careers and jobs more than their parents did.  This reality informs every decision the school system will make about how best to provide a quality education to all students.

The School District has a moral and legal obligation to provide the 17% of its students on Individual Education Plans (IEPs) with a high quality education.  To live within our budget, the District will need to bring more out-of-district placements in-district, better organize the special education department, and provide quality professional development to regular and special education faculty. 

At the same time that we provide quality education to students with IEPs, we have to be sure we do a good job of teaching our accelerated learners.  Many of these students currently benefit from the Academic Challenge and Enrichment (ACE) Program, which I support.

Finally, quality education means having enough space for all of our students.  Two factors will influence space considerations in the years to come – an increasing kindergarten enrollment and the effort to bring more out-of-district placements in-district.  Space is tight in several schools, and the Ottoson Middle School is near capacity.  The Thompson School must be rebuilt, and improvements need to be made to the Stratton.  I will work with our legislators to ensure that the Massachusetts School Building Authority assists the town in improving both facilities.  If re-elected, I will work with my colleagues to ensure that we have adequate space for all of our programs. 

The challenges ahead are not easy, but I believe the Committee can work with the community to ensure that every student in the Arlington Public Schools receives a quality education in these difficult and uncertain fiscal times.