District 1 BOE Candidates' Answers to eduKALB Questions

Copied directly from the eduKALB website for purposes of a direct comparison: District 1 BOE Candidates’ Answers to eduKALB Questions
Nancy Jester	Jim Redovian	Bobbe Gillis
(1) Please briefly describe the qualifications and abilities which you believe make you best suited to serve on the DeKalb County Board of Education.
My educational background, professional experience and service work give me the abilities and qualifications necessary to be a productive and effective Board member. My undergraduate degree and graduate work are in economics and I have professional experience as an actuarial consultant. My training and work have given me critical technical skills that I intend to put to use in improving accountability and decision making in DCSS. I have also served in a number of volunteer leadership roles. These posts have given me the opportunity to understand the dynamics of consensus building and group decision making. Finally, I am a parent with young children in public school. Despite the myriad of issues that face our school district, this fact is a powerful vote of optimism for the future of DeKalb.	Have owned my own successful business since 1985. 33 year resident of DeKalb. Have been involved with schools for over 30 years, with my six children. Served as Blue Ribbon Task Force.	I am a graduate of the Dekalb County School System and now have two children in Dekalb County schools. One child is in elementary and one child is in middle school. I spend a great deal of time volunteering at both schools and have been witness to many parents who dedicate their time at the schools to make certain that their child has the very best education possible. I have owned a business for the last 13 years, and I am a creative thinker. I am capable of leading and working as part of a team, setting goals, creating and implementing policies, managing budgets and hiring new staff while always maintaining honesty and integrity.
Nancy Jester	Jim Redovian	Bobbe Gillis
(2) What do you see as the top three most pressing challenges facing our DeKalb Schools?
· Leadership – The Superintendent search is an urgent matter. DeKalb needs the direction of a leader with integrity and successful experience providing leadership to large organizations. Additionally, the Board of Education needs new voices that lead the district by working cooperatively with other BOE members, the administration and the community to develop a vision for DCSS. · Accountability and Ethics – The policies and procedures of the current Board and administration have demonstrably failed the taxpayers and students of DeKalb County. We must review every corner of our system to strengthen and enact policies and procedures that will safeguard the tax payers’ money. It is imperative that we have multiple, independent review processes for every type of expenditure. We must also adopt the most stringent ethics policy possible. · Student Achievement – We must ensure that every student in DeKalb has the educational resources to maximize their potential. Children of all backgrounds and academic levels deserve effective instruction and environments that support and enhance their education.	Finding the right superintendent. Rebuilding the trust of our stakeholders and employees through good management and transparency. Developing a master plan that fits our needs.	· Our children are not receiving the education that they need so that they may compete in a global economy upon graduation. · The furlough and lay offs of our teachers is demeaning and inappropriate. How do we expect to educate our children if we do not have the teaching staff and those teachers who are in the schools are unhappy and dissatisfied with their careers because they are not rewarded for their commitment? · The negative press that our school system has received as a result of the overstaffed and dishonest administration. This makes Dekalb a poor choice for businesses and anyone looking to relocate – further reducing our overall economy
Nancy Jester	Jim Redovian	Bobbe Gillis
(3) What qualities and skillsets do you believe would be most important in seeking a new Superintendent for DeKalb Schools?
Our new Superintendent must be a person with: 1. Exceptional integrity, 2. A sterling record of large organization leadership, 3. A keen intellect, 4. The ability to overcome obstacles to reform, 5. Impressive communication skills and 6. An unwavering focus on student achievement.	A proven administrator capable of running a billion dollar company. A person with a vision and a passion to make it work. A new fresh individual without previous ties to DeKalb.	Dekalb needs someone who is a great communicator and impeccably honest. I would like to see someone from the business community who has a strong history of proven success. A Superintendent should be someone who is willing to work within the community he/she is representing, implement policies and follow these policies themselves.

Nancy Jester	Jim Redovian	Bobbe Gillis
(4) The DeKalb School Board oversees and approves an annual budget approaching $1.2 billion. As a school board member, how would you approach making certain that those dollars are spent most effectively to support our educational mission?
As discussed in question #2, I support and advocate for a comprehensive review of how money is spent in our district. At every level we must implement effective controls and review methods to guarantee that the public’s money is being spent appropriately. We must be compliant with best practices in public expenditure management. As a board member, when I make decisions evaluating where and how the public’s money is to be spent, I will ask: 1. Is this a reasonable and prudent investment of the public’s tax dollars? 2. Does this improve the classroom experience for students and teachers? 3. How will we measure the success of this expenditure? 4. What do we anticipate is the return on investment (ROI)? 5. What is the “opportunity cost” of this expenditure (next best option)?	The question would assume I have not been following an effective plan. I would continue to be as diligent as the past.	I would look at the current expenditures and salaries of the school system to make certain that monies are being spent equitably. I feel that there are many administrative positions that may no longer be necessary, and I would like to see these positions eliminated so that the money can be used to support our educational mission.

Nancy Jester	Jim Redovian	Bobbe Gillis
(5) What do you understand to be the three most important responsibilities of a school board member?
· To collaboratively establish, maintain and measure a comprehensive vision for our district’s schools that prioritizes the students of DeKalb county; · To hire and evaluate the superintendent pursuant to the plans and goals that are articulated within the comprehensive vision for the district; including student achievement, fiscal management, capital development and maintenance and overall staff development and performance and; · To provide the highest standards of accountability and transparency to the public regarding their investment in public education.	Evaluation of the superintendent, formulation of police, manage and control the budget.	First and most importantly to remember at all times the school board’s mission, which is “to form a collaborative effort between home and school that maximizes student’s social and academic potential preparing them to compete in a global society.” Second, to abide by the goals of the school board. Goals one and two should be combined to say that the board will narrow the achievement gap to increase graduation rates by increasing rigor and academic achievement. And lastly, to combine the 3rd and 4th goals to say the board should provide quality personnel in all positions and ensure fiscal responsibility.

Nancy Jester	Jim Redovian	Bobbe Gillis
(6) In your previous experience, how have you best been able to bridge conflict, or help to build consensus when part of a deeply divided group?
First I seek to understand and clarify the nature of the conflict. Next, I acknowledge that various group members will respond to conflict in different ways – judgmental, avoidant, strategic, competitive, accommodating, collaborative, etc. I try to understand the reason behind the reaction of each group member by actively listening to them. This means that I ask each person questions and refrain from judging their responses. I have found that by modeling this behavior it creates a climate of respect and helps foster a constructive decision-making paradigm rather than continuing a loop of avoidance or unhealthy aggression.	The magic word constructive compromise. I have learned that it is impossible to not always get ones way.	In my experience as an employer, business person and parent I have always tried to understand all the different aspects of every hostile situation. I want to hear from each party and research the wrongdoings and then present options which can be voted on to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.

Nancy Jester	Jim Redovian	Bobbe Gillis
(7) Given DeKalb County’s shrinking tax digest, and other financial difficulties…how might you approach the issue of potential closure of under-utilized schools and facilities?
We must acknowledge it is past time to implement a new facilities strategy to maximize our state funding and be prudent stewards of our local tax dollars. We cannot continue indefinitely holding open underutilized facilities. This is a disservice to the students and staff as well as the taxpayer. I acknowledge that school closings are difficult and emotional for their communities. We must take thoughtful and reasonable steps to assist them during these transitions. My approach to school/facility closures would start by acknowledging the reality of the demographics and funding. I would favor using an outside demographer/logistician to draw common sense zones incorporating the changes brought on by closures and population shifts. Our closures and zone updates should reflect our comprehensive vision for the future of DeKalb’s schools.	As we are currently doing by looking over the whole district – redistrict as most beneficial, then decide where closing should be.	Our county school system must be redistricted to accommodate for growth, shrinking and aging populations. This should be looked at yearly, recorded and then be mandated every 5-10 years.