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November 3, 2009
PRIMARY ELECTION
HOMER CENTER SCHOOL BOARD
Candidates who have cross-filed (qualified for both party ballots) are listed only once. Each entry includes the candidate’s name, post office, and year of birth.
4 YEAR TERM (VOTE FOR FIVE)
What in your background, training, and experience qualifies you to be an effective school board member?
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What do you consider to be the most important issue your school district will face in the next few years, and how should the school board address this concern?
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Childhood obesity and school bullying are two issues frequently in the news. What can school boards do to help solve these problems?
Jim McLoughlin
Homer City, PA 15748
Democrat/Republican
YOB:
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What in your background, training, and experience qualifies you to be an effective school board member?
I believe my background in business qualifies me to be an effective school board member. I have experience in negotiating, hiring, dealing with budgets and being able to make effective and tough decisions regarding different situations that arise. In addition I have served on the school board for the past 6 years and would like to continue the work I have started.
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What do you consider to be the most important issue your school district will face in the next few years, and how should the school board address this concern?
There are many important issues within our school district, but I believe one of the most important ones is how are we funding the schools. we need to continually look at different ways to be able to fund our schools without taxing our senior citizens. This will have to come from the state, but if we are going to be able to continue to offer all our classes to the students we need find other ways except taxing our citizens.
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Childhood obesity and school bullying are two issues frequently in the news. What can school boards do to help solve these problems?
To control bullying you need a strong policy against that will be enforced. In addition we need to continue to educate our students on the different types of bullying and the consequences of doing it.
Vicki L. Smith
Homer City, PA 15748
Democrat/Republican
YOB: 1952
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What in your background, training, and experience qualifies you to be an effective school board member?
The knowledge and experience I have gained through my 12 years on the Homer-Center School board is immeasurable. There is much a board member must know to be effective. It takes time to learn the duties and responsibilities of being a school director and how to best use the position to positively affect the students of the district. I also believe having someone serving on the board who is familiar with the history of why things were done a certain way is an asset to the fluid operation of the district. In addition, I have a BS in Business Education from IUP.
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What do you consider to be the most important issue your school district will face in the next few years, and how should the school board address this concern?
Finances are the number one issue we face now and it will continue to be the number one issue. The governor’s proposal to consolidate all of Pennsylvania’s 501 school districts into 100 districts is another issue that gives me great concern. It is being cited as a cost cutting measure, but in fact, it is a means to take local control away from small districts. In my opinion, it will cost us more financially and will weaken the quality of the educational program offered at Homer-Center. Also, we will be negotiating a new contract with our teaching staff in 2010. Since over 65% of our operating budget is taken up by wages and benefits, a successful negotiation is critical to the financial stability of our district. School boards need to be actively engaged in conversation with our local legislators and PSBA on the issue of school financing and we must work diligently to keep costs under control in our own districts.
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Childhood obesity and school bullying are two issues frequently in the news. What can school boards do to help solve these problems?
School boards need to make sure that there are programs in place at both the elementary and secondary level to address the issue of childhood obesity and bullying. Food service directors and/or companies must provide healthy, nutritious, good tasting choices for both breakfast and lunch. Our physical education classes need to meet frequently and include instruction about the importance of adopting an active lifestyle. Bullying prevention programs need to be run consistently throughout the school year. Messages that encourage students to respect themselves and others should be integrated into all aspects of school life. Teachers and administrators must be trained in recognizing and dealing with instances of bullying. Students need to understand that bullying will not be tolerated. Creating a bully-proof school is the ultimate goal of our district.
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