(1) Previous Experience

For ten years, I worked at Malcolm Shabazz City High School and the Work and Learn Center as a teacher and principal. My daughter attended Madison schools. I have lived in Madison for twenty-five years. I hold a law degree, a master's degree in educational administration and a certificate from Harvard in labor relations. I have served on the Board for ten months.

(2) Current Issues

The critical issues facing us are inter-related: increasing revenues for our schools, increasing community support for schools and improving the relationship between the Board and teachers.

We need more revenues because the natural growth in staffing costs and the special expenses of repairing and remodeling our aging schools cannot be accommodated under the revenue limits imposed by state law on our budget. Until we raise more revenues through a referendum, we will not be able to decrease class sizes sufficiently to increase student achievement and will continue to manage building problems on a crisis basis.

We need to increase our credibility on financial issues before we can propose a referendum. To do so, we must eliminate unnecessary administrative and consulting expenses, identify which buildings have truly critical needs, and go slowly on spending for new technology.

Finally, we must recognize the contributions of our teachers and support staff to the excellence of our schools, develop an equal, mutually respectful relationship with Madison Teachers, Inc., and work together on issues of common concern.

(3) Past Issues

In my ten months on the Board, I have taken the initiative in several areas. One is working with high school students to create a proposal for student representation on the Board, which I expect will be implemented. I have also worked hard to build a good relationship with our teaching staff, before, during and after our recent contract negotiations.