Name: Glen Strickland
Age: 64
Occupation: University Professor
Education: MA in communication and doctoral work
Personal: Married to Carol Strickland; former host parent to four foreign exchange students who attended Emporia High School.
Q Why are you running for this office?
A First, over the years many people have encouraged me to consider serving on the school board. Second, most of my life has been spent in public education at the university level and secondary school level. I have a high regard for public education and want to give something productive back.
Q If elected, what are your goals?
A My major goal would be to work closely with other board members to help the Emporia School District to provide the highest quality education to students of all levels. A second goal would be to create a team effort involving parents, teachers, administrators, and students to prioritize education in Emporia. And my third goal would be to encourage early intervention programs to help students achieve. I promise to work hard to achieve these goals.
Q How will the Emporia school board be better with you as a member?
A First, as a career educator, I would bring a perspective of what is happening in today's classrooms.
Second, my background in communication and competitive debate has sharpened my skills as a researcher, effective listener, and critical thinker. I have the ability to reason through difficult issues. My background has prepared me to be open-minded and able to see all sides of issues.
Third, I would be able to draw on my vast experience of working with others, having served on the University Faculty Senate, administered an Upward Bound program, and served as president of the Kansas Speech Communication Association.
Q What do you think is the biggest issue facing the Emporia school board and how would you resolve it?
A The biggest issue facing America's schools is the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. In Emporia, this issue is compounded by a fast changing student population. The Emporia school board is faced with instituting a school improvement plan that addresses two years of not meeting Adequate Yearly Progress in reading. The NCLB legislation forces districts into a one-size-fits-all nature of testing and poses a danger of teaching to the test, which reduces the amount of time that teachers can spend on other content areas. The punitive nature of the NCLB legislation threatens the overall quality of education for all levels of students. The situation is compounded when we realize that the majority of Emporia students qualify for free or reduced lunches, and nearly one-fourth of our students have limited English skills. With these two challenges, the Emporia district faces a very difficult task of meeting Adequate Yearly Progress while at the same time addressing the specific needs of every student.
The solution is not easy. The first step is a national revision of the legislation which allows for authentic assessment and reduces high-stake testing. On the local level, school board members can encourage innovation, interventions, and research to enhance learning.
Q What should the Emporia school board's priorities be when it plans a budget?
A Community input is essential. The Emporia School District uses Performance-based Budgeting each year for this input. This is an effective means of communication and should be continued.
A second priority is to provide safe, secure, and well-equipped facilities (including technology) for all students.
Third, competent, qualified teachers in every classroom should be well-compensated and appreciated.
Fourth, there should be funding for enrichment programs for both students and teachers.
Fifth, the funding and benefit package for classified personnel should be competitive with the private sector.
Finally, there should be responsibility to the taxpayers to ensure their tax money is used wisely.
Q Looking to the future, what are three things you'd like to see happen in the Emporia school district?
A First, I would like to be elected to the school board to help make the other two things happen.
Second, I would like to see a rejuvenation of academic spirit and emphasis on quality education and achievement by students and faculty. We need to celebrate our successes.
Third, I would like to see more teacher-based initiatives for professional development and school improvement. As a result, we will encourage more teacher-leaders and retain our quality teachers.