SCHOOL BOARD VACANCY SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE
Candidate’s Name: Don P.Overmyer
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Contact Address:
Contact Telephone Number: 614-847-4441
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Contact Email Address: dovermyer@att.net_
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Please answer all questions and send a completed questionnaire by January
16 via email to:
1. Please state your
professional or volunteer activities with K-12 education, either in the
Volunteer at Evening Street Elementary in my
daughter’s classes, grades 2-5, most Friday afternoons. PTSA at
Patience and good listening
skills.
Also, my professional
experience as a designer is primarily problem solving and building consensus
among various parties and services, often within the context of complex
circumstances.
3. What do you think is the
most pressing issue in the Worthington Schools?
I think it is maintaining an understanding on the part of the
Worthington Community of the value that a high quality school system brings to
our kids, as well as the peripheral benefits to the Community at large-like
property value and potential economic development. Without that understanding,
support erodes. The disconnection that people may have from the vitality and
energy in the classrooms is, in part, a result of community concern over the
cost and financial management of such a system.
This is the hard part… athletics is my initial response. I do not
at this time have a good sense of how substantial an expenditure this is to the
district, but this would be an obvious starting point to me-more so than any of
the curriculum (including the arts). I think athletic/physical activity is
extremely important, but it could possibly continue on a ‘Pay to Play’ basis,
or as a booster supported activity.
There have been some
wonderful projects in the EPP program in writing and math… it would be great to
draw from those and create a format by which some of those activities could be
experienced by the larger student body.
Technology, as in computer
skills (read ‘computer literacy’), is a continuing, evolving area that is
critical for students… not as an end in itself particularly, but simply as a
means to facilitate ideas and problem-solving skills.
6. What do you see as the
impact of “No Child Left Behind” on the Worthington
Schools? What about the Ohio Core legislation?
Specifically regarding ‘No Child Left Behind’, the sense that I
have from being in the classroom, and what I have read in the press, is that
while the intent is good, the real application may not be yielding the hoped
for results-to the point that it is ineffective, if not detrimental to the
overall learning process. I think the fear is that the emphasis is on producing
results via testing, replacing more relevant teaching experiences. I feel as if
it may be more political posturing as opposed to a real, properly funded,
carefully-considered initiative.
I am not familiar with the details of the Ohio Core
legislation-assuming that you are referring to Governor Taft’s initiative – it
seemed at the time that it was presented, there were some fundamental issues
such as funding and implementation that needed to be realistically addressed
(not unlike ‘No Child Left Behind’), which is interesting, given
that public education in
7. If selected, what do you
see as your role in influencing state education laws and policies that affect
the Worthington Schools?
I would be a proponent of maintaining the existing quality of our
schools-to question and challenge any potential compromise as a result of an
‘averaging’ of all school districts throughout the state.
To help provide and consider different perspectives on the variety
of issues that confront the schools-and collectively reaching solutions to
those issues. Part of this is acting as sounding board, to listen to ideas and
concerns, and another part would to express ideas and concerns, all of which
should be based in the consideration of the effect that decisions and
resolutions may have in the classroom and community.
9. What evidence do you
believe shows the Worthington Schools are adequately, or inadequately,
preparing students for their lives after graduation?
The curriculum, as I have witnessed from my daughter’s
experiences, is oriented to thinking and creative exploration- drawing upon the
experience from one discipline to inform or provide a perspective to another
experience or discipline. It is sensitive to the fact that people learn at
different rates, and in different manners. The curriculum strives to provide a
broad base of interrelated references.
The other important note is the emphasis on mutual respect and
citizenship. I hear more comments about this than the academics.
These are all important foundations to provide for the future.
Initiatives like the Alternative Middle School are evidence also…
the presentation made at Kilbourne Middle School was very impressive and
stimulating-the younger faculty demonstrated some very innovative ideas and
perspectives based on convincing research… it was encouraging to see that kind
of energy… it was encouraging to have young faculty bringing fresh ideas – the
world changes rapidly and we need to listen to those who are close to the
changes to continue to be a viably excellent system.