8 Compete for 3 Seats on West G BOE

October 11, 2023 by Staff Report

What motivated you to run for your local school board?

Alvarez

As the son of Cuban refugees, I grew up hearing stories of gun confiscation, persecution of political opponents, sham elections, Marxist indoctrination, etc., all for a “better society”…
I was taught to guard our freedoms; by studying and working hard, anyone could make it in America. I became a doctor, got a business degree, and was a healthcare executive; joined the Air Force after 9/11 out of a sense of duty. I feel the same way about running for the board. My kids went to West G, and grandkids will be there soon. It’s critical we serve our communities and help offer the best education possible to our kids, which includes appreciating the vision of the Declaration and an understanding of the workings of our Constitutional Republic — that it may endure for their kids, too.

Beers

The education culture in our district has been changing to accelerate every student to their ultimate capabilities. This resulted in our student achievement moving from #53 of 611 schools in the state in 2017 to being #10 for the past two years. I want to ensure that this movement grows. I want to see that our facilities can meet the needs of the future. Many policies are determined by the state. My experience on the board and professionally enables me to see where there may be flexibility and guide local policies to best fit our community.

Claypool

I have had a lifelong goal to give back to my community through service once I retired. Education is critical to the ongoing success of our children and our society as a whole. My interest in education led me to this path. The experience I have gained throughout my career and the skills I have acquired have prepared me for this role. Having five kids and 10 grandkids, provides me with perspective on the importance of education and moreover good education. I am concerned with some of what I see in education today.

Fleisch

I want to change things for the better in our district. My wife and other parents on our youth sports teams substitute teacher and they see the staffing problem we have. Other parents and I feel ignored by the administration when we voice our concerns. We want to help our children succeed, but we face obstacles and excuses. That is why I decided to run for the board, to make a difference and to listen to you the parents.

Hederstrom

My deep family legacy within the school district, from my great uncle that was president of the board in 1950, to parents that graduated from West G, an aunt that taught at West G, to my four children that have been, and are still attending West G currently. From a young age, I believe is serving the public, which is why I joined the Marines at 18. I see a need for younger families to be engaged, and people that actually have kids currently in the district to ensure accountability with important decisions.

Leavenworth

I was educated in a public school in Illinois. My mother was a local school board member and was an early role model for me. I have always strongly supported public education and a commitment to the community. When I first ran for the school board I believed I could contribute and make a difference…. I continue to have that motivation.

Does your district align with your vision of education for the community? If yes, in what ways? If no, what changes should be made?

Alvarez

From personal experience with my own kids, I believe that the West Geauga School district provides our children with a solid education, and that the road to improvement is always under construction. Our latest academic report card shows that we are performing quite well compared to state standards. At the high school level, we have a graduation rate of 98%, yet, based on available follow-up data, the college, career, workforce and military readiness is at 47.7%. We need to better understand the specific factors that affect their preparedness to help us focus on what they need during their time in school that they may continue advancing afterwards.

Beers

My elementary school in rural South Dakota was a one-room country school. My high school drew from one county and parts of four others. However, because of caring teachers, about 10% of my graduating class went on to successful internationally recognized careers. Many of our teachers are just as concerned about the students. The increased opportunities such as BridgED will augment our internship program, college credit plus and ExcelTech. Tailoring instruction based on individual assessments will continue to enable students to maximize their capabilities.

Claypool

West Geauga has very good academic results which align with my goals for education. We have a responsibility to give our children the best education possible to prepare them for life after school — whether that is continuing to further their education in a university or trade school or start work right out of high school. As I have said in my literature, I support an academics focused education program. The social learning focus areas concern me.

Fleisch

The district is heading in the right direction, but it does not address the students’ needs adequately. I believe there is a gap between complying with the state’s minimum standards for staff and ratios and actually understanding what the students need. The district’s emphasis on test scores and test-oriented teaching is evident when an elementary student feels anxious and worried about the test day. Our children are more than just a number. The district also neglects the needs of extracurricular activities. The high school booster club faces a lot of pressure to support all the sports with little financial help from the school itself, which seems like a poor use of funds. This issue is related to the lack of transparency.

Hederstrom

I believe that the education status in this community is outstanding as we are again one of the top districts in the state of Ohio. The divide is glaring when we discuss the lack of communication between the board and the public within our district. The board is often not addressing the public’s concerns over bussing routes that are more than an hour and the master planning meetings that the public leaves with more questions than they had entering the meeting. Policies that are voted on and passed are not always reflective of the true concerns of parents.

Leavenworth

Yes. West Geauga recently once again attained a ranking of #10 (the second year in a row) in the state out of 600+ school districts. Lindsey Elementary School was awarded the 2023 National Blue Ribbon School award, one of only 19 schools in Ohio. One of the primary reasons for receiving this award was the dedication to excellence in education that our community strongly supports, another is the belief that each and every student has the ability to succeed. We focus on that belief and work to enable all students to reach their highest potential.

What are the major challenges facing your district, and how can the board address them?

Alvarez

Schools should focus on academics and should not be pushing political agendas or “social justice” movements. If discussions arise in the classroom, students should be guided on how to engage in civil debate.
Parent’s rights should be respected. They should know what’s going on with their kids, no secrets. Sex-ed classes should be assessed for content and be age-appropriate.
A comprehensive safety program that includes armed security is necessary. As anything of perceived importance is protected by trained people with guns (banks, government buildings, politicians), our kids deserve the same.
An emphasis on American history is important, especially our founding; what makes us exceptional; the progression of race relations; and the movement towards the ideals of the Declaration.

Beers

Although the buildings have been well maintained, sections are very old and not sustainable. The board is addressing through community based master plan evaluation for new buildings and extensive renovation.
Student transition to post high school life can be addressed by internships with companies, increased STEM programs, and other exposure to potential opportunities.

Claypool

The new school project creates some concern. A large project should involve a great deal of transparency and scrutiny to build a proper case and public support. My perception is that there is limited transparency and lack of a proper case. Student safety is another issue of concern. We have had two incidents — one firearm issue and an alleged child abuse incident. Preventative measures were lacking in both cases. We need proactive and diligent efforts in place to do what we can to keep our children safe and obvious measures seem lacking.

Fleisch

The egregious lack of staffing. Our district pays less than surrounding districts for our support staff. Proctors in the elementary school are overworked and underpaid. We are not competitive in pay for substitutes which is a large point on why our buildings are always in need of more substitutes. We often cut specials because we pull the specials teachers to teach the general education classes as we cannot find a sub.
We do not have a school nurse on staff full time at both of the elementary schools.
We preach the need for safety but cannot seem to properly staff our buildings. But again I point out there is a difference between meeting state mandated minimums at actually helping our students thrive.

Hederstrom

The major challenges are bussing routes and the potential to rebuild/refurbish the educational buildings. There are challenges with the communication channels from the community and the school district representatives. During a conversation with concerned parents that pulled their kids from West G was the lack of transparency with the absorbing of Newbury Schools into the West G district. West G will continue to lose students if the parents continue to not feel heard. This will make it harder to justify addressing the age and state of repair of the current buildings.

Leavenworth

For the past several years we have had a group of community members participating in a master planning process. During the pandemic, this effort was put on hold. In the past year this group has finalized a process of accessing our facilities and recommending renovations and additions. Although all buildings have been well maintained much of the infrastructure is not sustainable. This is a major consideration.
Safety and preparation of our graduates for their continued success and growth is primary.

What do you feel are the board’s primary roles and responsibilities? Do you feel your local school board has, until now, fulfilled those roles? If yes, how? If no, where have they fallen short?

Alvarez

The board is the governance team for the school district. It is charged with providing the best educational opportunities for the students. It does not manage the day to day operations of the district — that’s the job of the superintendent and the administrators. The board provides oversight, adopts policy, establishes goals, and ensures the system is financially well-managed. The board also functions as a liaison between the school district and community, and its members are the chief advisors to the superintendent on community perspectives.
Having served on multiple boards throughout my career, I can say there’s always room for improvement around strategy development, communication, engagement, transparency and accountability. A strong board ensures management is doing its job well.

Beers

Roles and responsibilities are clearly laid out in board policies: Section 0000 of the bylaws, specifically paragraphs 0123 and 0124. They are also specified at the Ohio School Board Association website: ohioschoolboards.org/understanding-role-school-board.
The current board has fulfilled responsibilities by driving educational growth in the students (state ranking and National Blue Ribbon School, new internships and other workforce readiness programs ), maintaining fiscal responsibility (18 years without General Fund tax increase), increased safety (local police officers (SRO/SSO) in buildings).

Claypool

The board’s primary responsibilities consist of academic performance, which includes approving the curriculum; setting and approving district policy — policies that provide guidelines for how the district operates; and the financial performance of the district — being accountable to the citizens of the district. The BOE hires the superintendent and treasurer and is responsible for setting goals and then measuring their performance. The Superintendent makes recommendations for all hires and terminations as well as union contracts, but the BOE approves them. The current board needs to operate according to the Sunshine Law and the lack of discussion in the public board meetings causes me to question whether they ever question the recommendations made by the superintendent.

Fleisch

As a board member, my main duty is to represent the voice of the students and parents in our district. I will not blindly approve any policy that the administration proposes, but I will carefully examine its impact and consequences. I will also have a say in appointing the superintendent, who is responsible for shaping the direction and vision of our district. I believe that we need a board that is not a rubber stamp, but a watchdog for the administration. A board that is not afraid to challenge, question, and debate the policies that affect our children’s education.

Hederstrom

The role of the board is to govern, managing the budget, and pass policies that support the education of our children. The goal of the board is to represent the community and parents that elect them and to work with the superintendent which enforces these policies that are put into place by the board. The current board is not effective in communicating the intent of their policies. Communication is the key to the success of the relationship between the community and the school board. The current board members have fallen short on the communication with the community and understanding what the community is asking them to accomplish.

Leavenworth

Board member roles and responsibilities are clearly laid out in our policy manual. School board members primary responsibilities are to set policy and hire the superintendent and treasurer.
Yes, I strongly believe that this board has fulfilled those roles.
Our district has focused on each student achieving to their highest potential, resulting in a state ranking of 10th out of over 600 districts in the state for two years in a row as well as a National Blue Ribbon School award. In addition, we have gone 18 years without an increase in a General Fund tax increase.

The Ohio Department of Education recently made changes to its statewide report cards to better reflect district performance. What metrics should a local board of education use to determine whether its goals are being met and its policies successfully carried out?

Alvarez

Goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, resourced, transparent and time-based. Otherwise, they are very likely to fail. What success looks like needs to be clear. In business I like to use dashboards that show the various goals, their progression over time, milestones to be hit, trajectory to completion, challenges and who’s responsible. I then periodically review it with the team. Having timely quality data is key for tracking, rapid course-correction and decision-making. Some good key metrics for schools: attendance rate; performance index; achievement rates in the basics; graduation rate; college, career, workforce and military readiness rate. It would be good to highlight leading indicators that could identify students early at risk for performance issues.

Beers

All five of the measured criteria currently used (achievement, progress, gap closing, early literacy and graduation) as well as the college, career, workforce and military readiness are important. The data is analyzed to find areas for general growth. Most recently, information about early literacy has initiated changes in the K-3 instruction. Additional assessments, other than ODE, are used to tailor instruction for individual students in all areas. This has resulted in outstanding performance at Lindsey School and their award of National Blue Ribbon School, one of the 353 awarded in the nation.

Claypool

The metrics used to determine the star rating (achievement, progress, gap closing, graduation rates, and early literacy) seem appropriate. The calculations are complex and sometimes complexity in measurements leads to skepticism. I want to learn more about the proficiency standards as I have heard that they were lowered after covid. If so, has comparative annual data been correctly adjusted? I look forward to next year when they add a college, career, workforce and military readiness score. That will be a measure of whether we are fulfilling our responsibility to prepare our students for life after school.

Fleisch

The state scorecards are not enough to measure the quality of our schools. We need to look beyond the numbers and listen to the voices of the parents in our district. They are the ones who know best what their children need and how they are doing in school. By combining the data from the scorecards with the feedback from the parents, we can have a more accurate and holistic picture of our district’s performance and goals. That is how I will evaluate our schools as a board member.

Hederstrom

I believe that the metrics that are currently being reported on are a great insight into the success of a school district. I would like to see more importance placed of the college acceptance rate and include the post-graduation employment for those that are not going directly to college, or joining a trade.

Leavenworth

There are currently five measured state criteria used to access performance. At a recent school board meeting, our assistant superintendent reported on our achievement of a designation of 10th out or over 600 districts in the state. She covered a broad range of assessments/criteria/metrics used to determine goals being achieved. This includes on-going individual student assessments and tailored instruction for individual students in all areas. Results are evident, not only by our state ranking, but the Blue Ribbon achievement, as well.

What are the expectations for public behavior for members of the board of education?

Alvarez

Simply stated, behavior should be professional: civil, courteous, respectful and truthful.

Beers

The expectations are in Board Policy 0123 Code of Ethics / Code of Conduct which also states, “While serving as a member of the board of education, each member is expected to agree to abide by the following code of ethics.”

Claypool

Board members should conduct themselves in a proper and professional manner outside of the board meetings as well as during the meetings. If a Board member makes a public statement, they should clarify whether or not they are speaking on behalf of the Board or on behalf of themselves.

Fleisch

The public behavior for members of the board of education is expected to be professional, respectful and ethical. Board members should act in the best interest of the students and the district, and not as individuals with personal agendas.

Hederstrom

The expectations for board members’ public behavior should be above reproach, much like the personal behavior standards that I continue to follow since my tours of duty in the United States Marine Corps. A board member should be someone that is looked up to and should behave in such a manner that does not diminish the perception of the role or its importance.

Leavenworth

These are laid out in our Board Policy 0123 Code of Ethics/Code of Conduct.

After reviewing the current and/or proposed budget for your school district, where would you look to make budget cuts if elected? What areas would you not consider cutting?

Alvarez

In my business experience, arriving at the best budgetary/financial decisions involves a very deliberate process with significant input from all stakeholders. My approach would be to drill down and examine where our resources are currently being allocated; is it consistent with our charge of providing the best educational opportunities for our students; prioritize them according to that mission; objectively ascertain the results we’re getting; and are our highest priorities being resourced adequately. Per the schools report cards, on average 70% of the cost per student at the middle school and high-school is spent on classroom instruction. I’d like to know what defines classroom instruction, and what expenses roll under it. The same for non-classroom instruction.

Beers

Recently, our school taxes have been reduced a minimum of 2 mils and are significantly lower than Chardon, Kenston, Orange and Chagrin Falls.
Personnel costs are about 80% of the budget. Reduction in staff would result in larger class sizes or impact other services. Contracting services rather than hiring personnel sometimes reduces costs. The food service is one example of having hired a company rather than managing it ourselves. These tradeoffs are continually investigated.
I would not cut school safety expenses. We have rearranged funding to cover the increased costs of school safety officers.

Claypool

I have a great deal of experience with financial statements, and it would be irresponsible for me to make recommendations without further details. I would like to know more about open enrollment which is now capped — are there plans to uncap it? I am interested in the number of administrative staff we currently have and what was that number five years ago. I would like more information about capital spending on grounds and facilities each year over the past five years. I am also interested in the number of students we have on IEPs and what is the cost.

Fleisch

Our elementary schools need more than just improved security measures. They need more adult supervision and guidance for our young learners. Our children are like newborn babies, who require constant care and attention to grow and thrive. As they mature, they become more independent and confident, and need less oversight. That is why I will advocate for more staff and resources for our elementary schools, to ensure that our children have the best start in their education.

Hederstrom

I believe that the current administration has more personnel that is needed, so I would start there. Not to reduce spending, but putting more money into transportation. We currently are experiencing a lack of school bus drivers which is leading to extended time for children to be on the bus. I understand that this is a nation-wide issue, but there is a solution and it involves investing in these drivers.

Leavenworth

Currently, because of continuous monitoring and assessment and very careful budgeting and oversight, there is no need for a budget cut at West Geauga. Personnel is looked at for scaling back because it reflects over 80% of the budget. This is always considered, but very carefully assessed because that results in larger class sizes and reduced special services.
Outside contracting services would be one consideration. School safety is extremely important. Before any cutting of services I would first consider limiting or scaling back.

Do you feel your school district has adequate security protocols in place? If not, where could they improve?

Alvarez

My impression is that the school district has good security protocols in place. As with most policies and procedures, and most especially safety-related ones, I think it would be a good idea to assess what we have in place today, review their performance/effectiveness, and compare ourselves to other districts throughout the country where they have worked well. There’s always opportunity to improve and learn from the experience of others.

Beers

The school is regularly assessing protocols with local first responders and reviewing them with security consultants. Some of the conclusions are kept confidential to ensure security. Other actions are visible, such as the addition of local police officers (SRO/SSO) stationed in the buildings. The addition of the SRO/SSOs incurred significant additional expense that was covered by careful management of other parts of the budget.

Claypool

No and recent incidents make the case. I believe that the board is currently in the process of improving the security protocols, probably in reaction to the last couple of incidents at the school. By their own admission there were doors that did not shut properly and other miscellaneous issues that should have been corrected earlier. I understand that after the incident with the young man from Lyndhurst who brought a gun to school, the police were not contacted for more than an hour after the incident. In addition, the phones were not working so parents could not contact the school for information. These issues are concerning to parents and citizens.

Fleisch

Students need skills like self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making to succeed in life. A mental health/social emotional learning curriculum can teach these skills and improve students’ mental health and well-being. It can also create a safe, supportive, and inclusive school environment that fosters collaboration, engagement, and respect. Moreover, it can save money for the district by preventing future problems and increasing long-term benefits. Therefore, school districts have a duty to provide such a curriculum that can help students thrive in school and beyond.

Hederstrom

I believe that the safety protocols that are in place are adequate for our schools. In recent events within the high school, it proves that the system is working. The fact that there was a gun on campus is upsetting, and as a parent, I wish that the process was faster in getting the information out to the parents and community, but the protocols were in place and they were followed. Growing up in larger districts early in my life, I attended schools with metal detectors for football games, etc. They never made me feel any certain way, so I am not against having a more secure campus, but I do not believe that those measure are required in this community, yet.

Leavenworth

We have just voted to have local police officers (SRO/SSO) in each building. We constantly assess protocols for safety, working closely with both Chester, Russell and county first-responders.
There is always room for improvement and assessment.

Do you believe school districts have a responsibility to provide a mental health/social emotional learning curriculum? Why or why not?

Alvarez

I think schools should have mental health resources available for students.
I don’t believe schools have an obligation to provide Social Emotional Learning. The responsibility is to deliver on academics. I think any proposal for a SEL curriculum needs to be carefully assessed for content with the input of parents. Any training around managing emotions and relationships should not have undertones of — or outright advocacy for — “social justice” causes or abstract cosmic challenges. Schools should be teaching kids how to think, not what to think, i.e. fostering independent critical thinking, not encouraging group-think of opinions presented as facts.

Beers

The mental, social, and emotional well-being of the students is important. The Surgeon General has issued several reports on the importance of addressing youth mental health and has identified it as a “crisis”, even before the pandemic. The effects of the pandemic further emphasized the necessity to address the issue.
The level of responsibility is not established by the board. The state (HB123) and court cases have established the requirement and guidelines for curriculum and topics related to mental health. Additional information can be found by searching education.ohio.gov for “health education” or “School-based Mental Health” for specific standards.

Claypool

SEL is a complex issue that requires a high degree of understanding. It is not as advertised. At the end of the day SEL is about values and these are the purview of the parents. Mental health and social emotional learning require unique and specialized skills that are not really appropriate in a school setting. For example, a teacher might make a mental health issue worse due to their lack of the appropriate training or skill set. Parents and mental health professionals are best prepared to deal with mental health issues. School curriculum should focus on those academic standards that are contained on the score card.

Hederstrom

Yes, I believe that this is becoming increasingly important, especially as a parent. Having four children within the district with differing issues that have arisen, I believe that empathy and understanding should not just be taught at home, but reenforced in the classroom.

Leavenworth

Yes.
We live in a stressful environment. Student suicides have increased, social, mental and emotional well-being is very important.
School board responsibility is not established by the board, but by state laws, requirements and guidelines for mental health topics.

Do you believe board members have a role in the day-to-day operation of the district?

Beers

While serving as a member of the board, each member is expected to agree and abide by the code of ethics in the board bylaws which are found at westg.org->board->Policies and Bylaws.
The role of a board member is clearly laid out in Section 0123: “delegate authority…refuse to become involved with micromanagement” and “emphasize planning, policymaking, and public relations rather than becoming involved in management of the schools.”
Superintendent and treasurer are only responsible to the board as a whole. The rest of the employees report to them. Individual board members have no authority.

Claypool

No. However, the school board powers are statutory and provided in Ohio Revised code 3313.  The board is responsible for reviewing and approving policies and procedures that do impact the day-to-day operations of our schools.

Do you believe an individual board member’s opinion on an issue supersedes their obligation to support a board decision?

Beers

This is also addressed in Section 0123 “express personal opinions but, once the board has acted, accept the will of the majority.”

Claypool

No. Boards are governed by a process that allows for differing opinions to be discussed and debated. Once a motion is made and seconded and a vote has been taken, the majority rules. All board members are obligated to support and adhere to that decision once it is passed by the majority.  It doesn’t mean all board members agree on the ruling, but they are obliged to support it.  And if a differing view is questioned by the public, a board member can advise the public of their viewpoint as long as they make it known that their comments reflect their own opinions and not those of the board.

Do you believe the history of racial discrimination in the US should be taught in your district?

Beers

The state sets standards on what is taught in the district.
The Civil Rights Movement, which grew out of racial discrimination, was, and continues to be, an important part of U.S. history. Eliminating the history of racial discrimination in the U.S., whether it involves African Americans, Indigenous people, Asians during WWII or any other group, will not promote improved relations between all Americans.
“Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it” – Winston Churchill.

Claypool

Yes.  Of course. All our history should be taught. History is the systematic study and documentation of human past. History should be verifiable with evidence.   Cultural heritage and legends are not history and should be shared in the proper coursework.

Do you believe students should be permitted to request to be addressed by alternative names or pronouns in a classroom setting without parent approval?

Beers

Court cases have spoken to this question. Even if I don’t agree with those decisions, it would not be fiscally prudent to undertake a legal struggle that would undoubtedly fail.
Unfortunately some believe that parental rights are decided at the local school level when they are actually determined at the state legislature and court level leaving the school district with no input or authority.

Claypool

No. Of course students may make a request; however, there is no obligation for teachers to honor their request.  Children often do not have the mental development to make such judgments.  It is important that parents are fully informed as to their child’s behavior and actions that might lead to other actions.

Do you believe comprehensive sex education classes should be taught in your district?

Beers

SB 288 lists requirements for student instruction, parent and legal guardian notification, and training for school personnel
Guidelines for complying curriculum have been published by the Ohio Dept. of Education.
This is another example where the local district cannot choose IF a topic is taught in the district, and the district has limited ability to determine how it is taught.

Claypool

Yes, but it depends on the definition of comprehensive. Sex education should be focused on biology and not ideology or values. Sex education should be age appropriate. Ideologies, opinions, and values should be left to the family to determine. The program should adhere to Ohio State Revised Code which mandates that we teach abstinence as part of our sex education program.