Why are you running for WCSD Trustee? What is your vision of success for this role? 

I have spent years representing people who needed help. I now want to use my experiences to be an advocate for our students.

Vision: To have students get an interest focused education so that they have the tools to make life and career choices in which they are successful productive citizens.

How do you define student success? What experience do you have and what role do you intend to play in advocating for student success?

To me student success is defined not only by test scores buy also by successful completion of WCSD educational programs that prepare them for a productive life.

In my personal life my wife and I have helped to raise educationally successful children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. My decision as a trustee will focus on what is best for our students.

On the 2022 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), fourth-grade students, in Nevada, scored 6 points lower in math and 7 points lower in reading when compared to 2019. If elected, how can you use your position to ensure Nevada stops following this national trend and starts leading the way for student outcomes?

Of course those trends were the result of the Covid epidemic. I will ensure that all available funds ae used to provide needed remedial programs to our students.

What, if any, barriers currently exist to educational excellence and equity for every student? If elected to the Board of Trustees, how will you help eliminate these barriers?

In my opinion the biggest barriers are the failures to retain qualified, experienced personnel. The other barrier is the inequity in facility modernization. Funding needs to be funneled not only to personnel but also to the maintenance and upgrade of aging schools.

What do you believe are the top three most persistent challenges facing the WCSD Board of Trustees? What is an example of a bold approach you would propose to address one of those challenges?

1. Response to the stakeholders.
2. The reliable measurable student education success at all schools.
3. Transparency in their dealings with personnel and with taxpayer monies.

Putting their money where their mouth is so they really care about our students and community concerns.

Research suggests that more than 50% of a board meeting should be focused on student outcomes. How would you ensure the board allocates this amount of time to student outcomes?

If 50% of the agenda is focused on student success then that could be the number one priority. That is a tough one! The Board has other priorities.

To accomplish this precise planning is necessary. Public comment could be encouraged and considered by the Board or a set agenda time before the Board meeting could be arranged.

If elected to the Board, how would you approach challenging conversations and/or criticisms that might arise from fellow Board members, stakeholders, and the broader community?

First of all I understand criticism. It often comes from people who are passionate about their concerns. I would definitely listen to those concerns.

What key indicators would you use to assess the performance of WCSD’s Superintendent? How would you hold the Superintendent accountable?

The superintendent should be assessed by employee evaluations and public/parent evaluations.

The superintendent should be clearly versed in the needs and challenges of our school district. They should also understand our Nevada statutes relating to interactions with employee groups.

In a recent survey, 77% of Nevada residents agreed that parents should be able to send their children to the public school they feel is best for their child, even if it is outside of their neighborhood. Do you agree? Please explain your reasoning.

Parents should be able to decide which schools are best for their children. This is contingent on their being room in their chosen school after all zoned children are enrolled.

The following question was submitted by a current public high school student: How will you ensure students are put at the forefront of the decision making process as a member of the Board of Trustees, and what accountability measures would you put in place to make sure this happens? 

What we do is for you students! There needs to be input from all students into the Board process. I would like to see surveys put out to our students asking them about their concerns and their educational needs. There should be schools that non-college bound students could attend and who could learn a trade that would prepare them for their adult careers.