By School Supporter

August 24, 2007 1:47 PM | Link to this

I think we agree that a board composed of representatives of narrow special interests won’t work. The board needs good listeners committed to working with each other for the most effective education possible with limited resources. The obvious valuable backgrounds might be law, business executive, operations manager, MBA, etc. Add to this the person who never lets the others lose focus on children and education. Girl Scout leader might be an exemplar. This would be someone at the local level playing a role similar to Susan Haverkos on the state board. My concern with DPS governance is whether even an all-star board picked from all board members in the Miami Valley could tackle the district’s issues—a good argument against metro consolidation, IMHO. Of course, my opinions don’t really matter since I won’t be voting for DPS board. I am curious, though, how DPS graduates will cast informed ballots, including how they will assess the credibility of candidate endorsements, including that of the DDN editorial board. If a sports analogy will help, suburban districts can succeed with board members who bench press their own weight. DPS might need board members who bench press twice their own weight. Is anyone spotting for these folks?

By Laura

August 24, 2007 7:45 AM | Link to this

School supporter: I’m not sure, but your statement that the board “approximates the caliber of those in our wealthiest suburbs” confuses me. Do you mean to say that Dayton shouldn’t have well educated or experienced board members? Or that they can’t relate? Please don’t say we should have board members that reflect the makeup of the general public! I think the biggest problem with school boards, not just in Dayton, is that the trend is to want the schools to be run completely like a business and that just won’t work. I agree that there must be some who are experienced in business but schools are in the business of people and must follow rules that don’t apply other businesses. If boards are going to truly effect change, board members are going to have to take it upon themselves to learn the opposite side of the equation from their comfort zone or knowledge and experience. Business leaders need to learn the language of educators and educators must learn the language of the business world. It is a lot of ask of board members but I don’t see any other way for them to effect the change they and the public insist they want.

By Stacy M. Thompson

August 24, 2007 12:23 AM | Link to this

I am an Assistant Vice President at KeyBank (previous position included three years with the Community Blood Center). My exact role is Regional CRA (Community Reinvestment Act) and Compliance Manager. My primary responsibilities include ensuring the bank is doing business in the geographies and with the people where we are located. I focus primarily in the LMI (low and moderate income) areas. I am also a DPS graduate (1983 Meadowdale High School) and a native Daytonian. My experience is what I also wish for our students…..i.e., I grew up with working class parents and a caring community in Dayton who taught me the value of education and instilled in me a desire to be all I could be in life. I applied for appointment to the Board in June 2006 because I wanted to give back some of what I received from the DPS school district. I have always had a passion for children and was very engaged in this area even before my board appointment. Some of my pre-board activities included creating and running a tutoring program for children, chairing and organizing funding for an event that recognized and gave college scholarship money to local high school graduates and serving on the board of a local tutoring and school prep academy. I agree we have major challenges before us��I faithfully read this blog and engage people in the community because I sincerely want to hear what the Dayton community thinks��with just one year under my belt on the DPS Board, I am absolutely convinced on this one thing: it is going to take the ENTIRE community (parents, students, board, teachers, administration, civic organizations, faith based groups, the business community, etc.) to fully restore DPS to what I know in my heart it can be�..if I have an �agenda� this is it: I want EVERY child in DPS to fully realize his/her potential regardless of his/her starting point in life! I want EVERY child to receive the same level of academic preparation AND community support I received from 1970-1983 (my DPS years). I want EVERY child to leave our district confident in his/her ability to achieve whatever he/she desires in life�..whether it is to become a plumber, a doctor, a janitor, a teacher, a factory worker, an accountant, a police officer, a cook, or yes, even an Assistant Vice President of a bank�..I did not get here because of �me��.I certainly was not �born� here�..I got here because DPS (including many teachers I can still name to this 30-plus years later day) and the Dayton community NEVER told me I could not. I know in my heart as I trust most of you know as well EVERY child deserves this much from us Dayton. Yes, I will seek your support in November, but before and after that one day vote I will continue to do what I’ve always done and that is be a advocate for children. Blessings, Stacy M. Thompson DPS Board Member and Candidate

By School Supporter

August 23, 2007 10:01 PM | Link to this

The web says, “Stacy Thompson has joined Key Bank as assistant vice president…” Seems to me DPS has much harder issues to solve, and a board that approximates the caliber of those in our wealthiest suburbs. What other governance structures are available to help DPS to meet its challenges? Also, what’s going on with six candidates for board in Northridge?