OROL: Phil Donhauser 1997

Candidate for ORSD School Board 1997

Phil Donhauser Lee, NH

See what other voters have to say about Phil Donhauser.

This is to inform you and the ORSD that I am withdrawing as a candidate for School Board.

A personal health reason and a concurrent increase in demands from my job led to my decision. These situations would not let me devote the necessary time to be an effective asset to the school board this year.

A few suggestions for the new members are: seriously attempt to control the rapidly expanding staff levels, (especially-NON TEACHING), excess staff being by far the biggest cost driver in the budget. Also I would ask the members to examine the blizzard of paper thrown at you to see if it actually helps you to make well informed decisions, or is it mostly for distraction. The new members must take control of the agenda and prioritize the issues facing the District and not blindly follow some Administrators view of public control or oversight via School Boards. The community at large wants to trust and support the school board. However, that trust is shaken when the SB hires two Superintendents at one time, allows Curiculum improvements to be side lined, or tries to hire 20 plus adults for an increase of 24 students. Eventually you as school board members must force open the Special Ed's IEP development process for your oversight and not be dismissed by vague rules, or misquoted laws, or people who have a vested interest in keeping you and the public ignorant of the high medical costs added but not mandated by law verses State mandated educational training. If the public sees you first asking, should we even be doing this, verses how can we modify this practice to make it more palatable or salable to the public, trust and confidence would follow.

Everybody would gain in the District if the SB held monthly meetings in the three towns and discussed FUTURE agenda topics and allow a broad range of community input. The Board could make far better informed decisions and have wider support for its decisions. On the popular praising of Technology, pease ask yourself if you have ever had a good conversation with a computer and really examine what the district has actually received so far for the several hundred thousands of dollars spent for technology to date. You might be shocked by facts.

It is my hope that this new board with a renewed vigor and a more open minded approach will work harder at building a bridge to the whole district. And not let those whose belief in maintaining the status quo or who think more money will solve all problems, dictate the future direction of our children's Education. If you choose a DYNAMIC, self thinking SB Chairman, along with the new person replacing the previous unsatisfactory Superintendent, perhaps ORSD will once again regain its place as an Educational role model.

Respectfully,
Philip Donhauser

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Last update on 29-Mar-99 at 9:44 PM.

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