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| Middletown Community News |
| Q&A With Middletown School Board Member Marcia Andrew |
| Monday, January 11, 2010 7:26:54 AM - Middletown Ohio |
Interview By: Randy Lewis
Give us a brief bio of your academic, sports and work life:
I am a partner with the Taft law firm in Cincinnati, where I have been handling a wide variety of business litigation matters for 21 years. I earned my law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, and my undergraduate degree from Williams College. I attended public schools K-12 in Pelham, N.Y. I moved to Cincinnati in 1988 and to Middletown in January, 1996. At college, I swam on the varsity swim team, and I continue to enjoy swimming, walking, running, and weight lifting to stay fit and healthy.
Who should be president of the school board?
Each January, the five members of the school board elect one of our members to be President for that calendar year. The President acts as the public spokesperson for the school board, and runs the meetings, but otherwise has no more power than any other board member. I appreciate that Greg Tyus has been willing to serve as President, given that the position involves a substantial amount of additional time, and believe that he has done a good job in that role. The President needs to be able to facilitate discussions and bring the board together towards consensus decision-making. I would be willing to take a turn as President if my fellow board members choose to place their confidence with me.
How will we improve our results as measured by the state of Ohio Department of Education?
The school board sets policy, and hires, evaluates and fires the superintendent and the treasurer. We leave the details on implementing our policies to the superintendent and treasurer and their staff. I serve on the policy committee, which evaluates district policies and recommends adjustments to the board as necessary. I also serve on the discipline and safety committee, which is in the process of a comprehensive review of our discipline and safety policies, whether the policies are being followed by teachers and administrators, and whether changes are called for.
Several years ago, the Middletown City School District began a number of initiatives to improve the quality of instruction, and to provide additional support and interventions for students who have not reached proficiency for their grade level. We saw small incremental improvement in the first years of these reforms. After a set-back in 2007-08 (the year we had to reduce services dramatically when the operating levy failed twice), we saw some improvement again last year. We are especially encouraged by the fact that all of our school buildings showed at least one year’s academic growth, or more. If we keep on that trajectory, we will cross the 75% proficient mark on many grade-level and subject tests, earning those indicators on the state report card.
Due to No Child Left Behind and the state report card, we are forced to focus a large amount of attention on the children who have not yet reached the passing level on these standardized tests. Yet, we have not lost sight of the “average” student or the “gifted” child, and Middletown also offers a curriculum that ensures that each child is challenged to grow academically. The value-added measure of at least one year’s growth demonstrates that all children in our schools are learning.
A new superintendent may recommend some changes to our current strategic plan or suggest ways to improve the implementation of some programs. As a board, we set policy, but look to the superintendent to be the academic leader of the district. We are actively searching for a dynamic superintendent who can motivate students, teachers, administrators and parents to achieve the board’s high expectations for this district.
How will we fund your initiatives?
Public schools in Ohio have basically three sources of funds: (1) federal and state grants, which come with very specific restrictions on how those dollars can be used; (2) state basic funds; and (3) locally funded taxes – here, property taxes. The state funding is established on a 2-year cycle with the state budget. However, with the state budget facing huge shortfalls, the state’s share of our local budget is in doubt, and we may see millions of dollars cut. The school board determined 5 years ago to only ask for what we need, when we need it. While this is a very sound policy, it has the downside of requiring frequent votes on temporary tax levies.
Next year, two of these temporary levies expire at the same time, for a total of approximately $18 million dollars. We will have to ask the voters to renew both of those levies, at a minimum. Depending on what happens with the state budget, we may also need to request an increase. Since approximately 78% of our budget is salary and benefits (teachers, administrators, bus drivers, custodians, maintenance, etc.), and most of those personnel are unionized, we face a built-in cost increase every year, even with no increase in services or programs.
Why do you want to be on the school board?
I want to continue to serve on the Middletown City School Board because I have too much at stake not to be actively involved in turning around our district. I am a parent, a taxpayer, and a community volunteer. My husband and I have 3 children attending the Middletown City Schools—one at Middletown High, and two at Central Academy middle school. I would not send my children to the Middletown schools if I did not believe that they were receiving a good education. I am a strong believer in the public schools and believe that we can bring back pride in our schools if the whole community puts their support behind the students, teachers and administrators and holds everyone accountable to achieving high expectations accountable to achieving high expectations.
Discuss In The Forum
Q & A With School Board Candidate Marcia Andrew
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Archived Comments
| 10/13/2009 11:44:04 AM | Stuck With Andrew | | Andrew references the voting on the "temporarary" levies to operate the schools. Funny how the temporary/emergency levies become renewal levies, then permanent levies. Typical game the schools have been running on the property tax payer for years. Not once has a temporary levy been used until it's time limit and has been allowed to expire. Andrew, we the taxpayer have been listening to the same old "we are making strides" nonsense since the early 80's. It is getting old and worn by now. We kept giving you people more money on the promise that the schools would get better. They haven't. We gave you new schools a few years ago with the promise that the elementary proficiency would get better. It hasn't. We don't think you, Tyus, McNeil and the others are smart enough to turn this school system around, especially since you have made no dramatic changes of your failed policies. It is a shame we had no new people to challenge your ineptness. Since we have had no indication that anything will change, we can expect more of the same poor performance from all of you on the board. | | 10/13/2009 1:24:30 PM | Marcia Andrew | To "Stuck with Andrew": Hiding behind an anonymous tagline really doesn't give you the right to be rude, right out of the blocks. The problems facing the schools are deep-rooted, and there are no easy answers. We are trying. You do not see the dramatic improvement you would like and jump to the conclusion that we must not be trying to improve.
As for the levies, we, like just about every other school district in Ohio, are forced to go with temporary levies because, if Middletown voters passed a permanent tax increase, the messed up state funding scheme would actually use that increased "local share" to decrease the state funding dollars provided. The result would be no more money for the schools, but more of it coming from your pocket, versus from the state (which is of course, also tax dollars, but shared more broadly). So, we would have increased the tax burden on local property owners, without increasing the money available to run the schools. Now, that would really be inept. | | 10/13/2009 3:49:55 PM | Jack Fate | Ms.Andrew--using a screen name is hardly hiding, as it is the message that matters. YOU might put too much weight in the egocentrist approach of stamping opinions with personality.
I didn't read anything overly rude, and thought the post was an accurate summary minus the politically correct syrup coating.
Since you are all that we have, we must wish you the best and pray that you have learned from your first term. Quit talking down to us if you want our support(and $$$). Often it is YOU(SCHOOL BOARD) who doesn't understand(or accept) the message coming from the public. Please heed the message at the ballot box concerning funding.
No one other than the School Board and Admin sees our test results/ratings as improving or satisfactory. We are tired of being on the bottom, and our entire community suffers for that reason. You MUST achieve results asap.
Face it--we over-built the new schools. They aren't full, and we didn't really need Miller Ridge without the annexation. We have spent too much $$, and still aren't anywhere near having a superintendant. We are in permanent limbo. Thanks for nothing! | | 10/14/2009 9:39:11 AM | Marcia Andrew | | Mr. Fate, was there anything in my interview or my post where you felt I was talking down to people? I don't think there was, so I really want to know if you feel differently. I don't think it is condescending to say that something is really complicated when it is, or to say that we on the school board know more about an issue that we have studied than the general public -- after all, we were elected to spend more time learning about the issues than most people have available for school issues. | | 10/14/2009 11:15:25 AM | Jack Fate | Ms.Andrew--you are obviously a well-educated and successful professional in a highly respected Cincy law firm(Taft,Stennius & Hollister?--I used them years ago in a labor dispute).
Your interview above is sensible and somewhat conciliatory. My "talking down" reference goes back to your MJ editorials of the past, where you lambast the citizens for failing to act accordingly and/or understand your version of their basic responsibilities to the school board and system. I found you extremely condescending.
Please remember that you are elected to serve the mandate of the citizens first and foremost. Our voice on election day is our message of how we want you to proceed in your position. Accept our choice and act accordingly without any need to "scold or chastise" us for not seeing things your way.
All of that said--you get another term. Please respect us and work with us to improve the academic situation(and a quick return to discipline-which should be a cornerstone in our next superintendant). We all need this system to improve and function. We are on the same team, like it or not(and by that, I mean ALL of us).
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