Fort Lee has minimal standards to run as a candidate for the local Board of Education, i.e. basically consists of getting your name on the ballot.\u00a0\u00a0 With a BOE election on the horizon, maybe we should have some guidelines for future candidates and raise our expectations.<\/p>\n
The Governor\u2019s Transition Team of Detroit, Michigan, proposed some excellent standards for consideration. As the report is somewhat lengthy, this is an abridged version. A few specifics have been bolded for emphasis.<\/p>\n
Optimal Qualifications for School Board Members<\/b><\/p>\n
(1)\u00a0\u00a0 Willingness to elevate the ethical code of the district well above usual political and public office standards.<\/p>\n
(2)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Understanding the Board\u2019s role in the awarding of district contracts andtaking the time to insure that contracts meet the best interests of the district and are financially sound.<\/b><\/p>\n
(3)\u00a0\u00a0 No record of misconduct that would discredit the Board.<\/p>\n
(4)\u00a0\u00a0 Understanding that Board work should be done by crafting written policies and not by hands-on intervention.<\/p>\n
(5)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Has the time and is ready to put aside personal career opportunities and family time to attend to school district needs.<\/b><\/p>\n
(6)\u00a0\u00a0 Demonstrates a willingness to be trained in best practices for school board members.<\/p>\n
(7)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Understands the selection process for a school district superintendent and for reviewing his\/her performance.<\/b><\/p>\n
(8)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>If he\/she has children, has been committed to educating them within the public schools.<\/b><\/p>\n
(9)\u00a0\u00a0 Knows what a board member must do to engage the community in support of the schools and parents in the successful education of their children.<\/p>\n
(10)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Must have performed volunteer services for a local organization prior to running for a BOE position.<\/p>\n
Has a clear understanding of:<\/p>\n
(a)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>the proper role of the Board in evolving a vision and strategic plan for the district.<\/b><\/p>\n
(b)\u00a0\u00a0 how to improve the school learning climate, student attendance, and discipline in order to elevate student achievement.<\/p>\n
(c)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the limits of paper-and-pencil testing as a sure measure of student achievement.<\/p>\n
Has a clear understanding of the proper roles for the Board and Superintendent for:<\/p>\n
(a)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 assuring the safety of the students and staff.<\/p>\n
(b)\u00a0\u00a0 selecting teachers; principals; and division directors<\/b>.<\/p>\n
(c)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 how to respond to a parent\u2019s complaint of improper treatment or unfair student treatment.<\/p>\n
(d)\u00a0\u00a0 the collective bargaining process.<\/p>\n
(e)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 textbook selection and curricula development.<\/p>\n
(f)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 right-sizing and capital improvement of schools<\/b>.<\/p>\n
=====================================================================<\/p>\n
Let us understand that to reach the degree of excellence expressed in the above qualifications would border on the impossible. But to strive toward these goals for future BOE members would be an excellent beginning.<\/p>\n
There are current Board members that have failed to live up to these standards on the most basic level, while others have endeavored to perform to the best of their abilities.\u00a0\u00a0 If the Fort Lee BOE is to improve community relations, we need to carefully select candidates, by reviewing their credentials and in the case of incumbents, evaluating past performance.\u00a0 Voters, please take the time to elect the best candidates that will work for our children and the Community.\u00a0 This election is the key to our children\u2019s future.\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fort Lee has minimal standards to run as a candidate for the local Board of Education, i.e. basically consists of getting your name on the ballot.\u00a0\u00a0 With a BOE election on the horizon, maybe we should have some guidelines for future candidates and raise our expectations. The Governor\u2019s Transition Team of Detroit, Michigan, proposed some […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pearlsofwisdom.guru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pearlsofwisdom.guru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pearlsofwisdom.guru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pearlsofwisdom.guru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pearlsofwisdom.guru\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=110"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pearlsofwisdom.guru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":111,"href":"https:\/\/pearlsofwisdom.guru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110\/revisions\/111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pearlsofwisdom.guru\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pearlsofwisdom.guru\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pearlsofwisdom.guru\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}