CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE SCHOOL BOARDS - UNWAVERING ATTENTION TO HIGH STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

The study authors found that "[e]ffective school boards commit to a vision of high expectations for student achievement and quality instruction and define clear goals toward that vision."  Further, they "make sure these goals remain the district's top priorities and that nothing detracts from them."  In other words, the boards make the education the number one priority of the district.  I agree whole-heartedly that the instruction and academic achievement of the students should be the Board's main focus.

 Unfortunately, our Board has gotten distracted by other issues that have arisen within the community over the past few years.  This past year has seen a great debate within the town over the purchase of the Bancroft property, an endeavor that took a great deal of the Board's attention way from academic concerns and put it on land acquisition and development.  Prior years have seen the implementation of the "24/7" policy to give the Board authority over the non-school-related behavior of he students, which also diverted the Board's attention from what happens during the school day to what happens completely outside the realm of the schools.  

I want to direct the attention of the Board back to the education itself.  If I am given the opportunity to serve on the Board, I would lead the effort to refocus its efforts onto the provision of a quality education to our children.