WORTHINGTON BOARD OF EDUCATION

SCHOOL BOARD VACANCY SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE

 

 

Candidate’s Name: _________Elizabeth Sherowski______________________________    

 

Contact Address: ___6882 Ravine Circle, Worthington, OH 43085__________________     

 

Contact Telephone Number: ___614-888-9020__________________________________

 

Contact Email Address: ____esherowski@thelittleredpen.com______________________     

 

Please answer all questions and send a completed questionnaire by January 16 via email to:

 

vgnezda@worthington.k12.oh.us

 

 

1. Please state your professional or volunteer activities with K-12 education, either in the Worthington School District, another school district or in a private school.

 

Most recently, I have been a PTA and classroom volunteer and head room parent at Evening Street and Colonial Hills Elementary Schools.  In that capacity, I assist in classroom instruction, provide extra help to students who are struggling, and coordinate larger projects like the Evening Street Science Celebration.   I am also currently volunteering as the director of the Children’s Music Ministry at St. Peter’s Church, where I teach music in a classroom setting to children from preschool to third grade.  Prior to my volunteer involvement in the district, I studied music education at the University of Notre Dame and did my student teaching at the middle and high school levels.  While I was at Notre Dame, I worked as a summer intern with the Worthington Schools, spending two summers as an administrative assistant in various buildings and departments and one summer as an intern in the Department of Technology Services.  I am also the parent of two Evening Street Elementary students, and my youngest will attend kindergarten at Evening Street in the fall of 2007.

 

 

2.      What personal traits, skills, or experiences would you bring to the position that you feel would make you an effective board member?

 

I would bring a broad range of experiences and skills to the school board.  My legal experience would be useful in understanding the impact that legislation and court decisions have on our district.  My experience as an educator at both the K-12 and university levels allows me to understand what teachers and students need to succeed.  My employment with the district gave me a valuable “behind-the-scenes” look at how the district functions.  As a resident and taxpayer, I certainly understand the public’s desire for a well-run, efficient, and cost-effective school system.  The experience that would prove most valuable to the board, however, is my experience as a parent.  Through my children’s experiences, I have seen first-hand the results of the school board’s decisions, from extremely positive (my oldest child blossoming in the EPP program) to the not-so-positive (not enough space to meet demand in K+ classrooms).   Also, since my children are just beginning their journey through the Worthington Schools, I am committed to school improvement for the long term.  Finally, my experience as the parent of three small children has certainly made me organized, taught me to multi-task, and allowed me to develop proficiency in all forms of dispute resolution.

 

 

3.  What do you think is the most pressing issue in the Worthington Schools?

 

In a word, revenue.  The district’s income from the state is shrinking while our costs are going up.  The district needs to manage this situation in three ways.  First, make sure that our income does not decrease further, by working to increase district enrollment and carefully monitoring what the legislature and courts do in regard to school funding.  Second, evaluate expenditures to make sure that our district is as efficient as possible.  Third, investigate new sources of revenue so that we can make up the shortfall in income without having to go back to the taxpayers every three years.

 

 

4.  If it were necessary to make substantial cuts in the expenditures of the district, what areas would you cut first, and what areas would you seek to preserve?

 

It’s difficult to answer such a general question with any degree of specificity.  If cuts are needed, then the board (not an outside consultant) should be responsible for conducting an evaluation of the district’s expenditures and eliminating items that are not cost-effective, while striving to preserve those items that add value to the district.  The threat of sweeping cuts should not be used as a threat to the taxpayers at levy time.  When cuts must be made, the board should let taxpayers, parents, and students know the reasons for the cuts.  Then the citizens and the board could work together to determine the degree of support for the programs that are at risk and see if alternative sources of funding could be found.

 

 

5. If it were possible to add new programs to the district, what programs would you seek to add?

 

I would love to see more choices in education at the elementary and middle-school levels – perhaps a foreign language immersion elementary school or an alternative or informal middle school.  Not only would these enhance students’ learning experiences, they would make the district a more attractive educational option and possibly reverse the trend of declining enrollment.

 

 

6.  What do you see as the impact of   “No Child Left Behind” on the Worthington Schools? What about the Ohio Core legislation?

 

Obviously, the greatest impact of the NCLB legislation falls on school districts with low ratings.  Given Worthington’s record of excellence on state and federal quality assessments, our district will probably not lose federal funding or have schools on “academic emergency.”  However, there are two concerns that the NCLB legislation poses for a top-rated district such as ours.  First, the money the district receives from the state to implement NCLB is inadequate.  Second, there is a danger of losing our “excellent” rating not because of any drop in overall academic performance, but because of the state rule that limits a district’s rating to “continuous improvement,” regardless of overall academic performance, if two or more at-risk groups miss improvement goals.  This situation is further exacerbated by the fact that many at-risk students are held to the same assessment standards as the general student population.  The board needs to give careful attention to both of these concerns to make sure that the district maintains its “excellent” rating.

 

Much like NCLB, the Ohio Core legislation is well-meaning but under-funded.  Most Worthington high-school students are already meeting most of the Ohio Core requirements, so implementing Ohio Core would not be a huge change for the district.  However, there will be financial costs associated with the implementation which will not be covered by the state.  Therefore, the board should make sure that the administration implements the Ohio Core requirements as efficiently as possible in order to minimize costs.

 

 

7.  If selected, what do you see as your role in influencing state education laws and policies that affect the Worthington Schools?

 

I would welcome the opportunity to take a very active role in influencing the state’s educational policy.   The board can influence education laws in two ways: by working with the legislature and by educating the residents of the district.  First, the board needs to pay careful attention to the recent school legislation and evaluate its impact on our district.  We should also work closely with the Ohio School Boards Association and the Worthington Education Association to combine lobbying efforts when practical.  Second, by helping the residents of the school district learn about the problems with issues such as school funding, the board would empower the residents to demand that their legislators support fair and equitable education funding.

 

 

  1. What do you see as the roles and responsibilities of a school board member?

 

A board member should listen to the concerns of everyone in the district and remember that he or she represents all taxpayers.   A board member should realize the value of an excellent school system, but also see the wisdom of a cost-effective one.  Members of the board should spend the taxpayer’s money like it was their own.  Finally, a board member should be concerned about not just how their actions will impact the district in the present, but also consider how their actions will affect the district for the long term.

 

 

  1. What evidence do you believe shows the Worthington Schools are adequately, or inadequately, preparing students for their lives after graduation? 

 

The high number of awards given to our schools is the first indication that our students are being adequately prepared for life after graduation.  Additionally, most parents report an overall level of satisfaction with the education that their children are receiving.  The fact that Worthington is one of the most desired school districts for parents moving into Central Ohio reflects both of these facts.  By continuing to maintain our high academic standards, offering parents and students a variety of educational choices, and responsibly managing our district’s resources, the board can continue this trend of educational excellence.