Board Candidate Questions

Following two days of interviewing the 8 candidates Wendy Myers was the unanimous choice to join the board. Welcome aboard Wendy.
Following the interviews Mr. Elliott, Mr. Young and your writer attended the Putnam PTO meeting. Over 50 people were present when I arrived. Questions and answers were flying back and forth. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every PTO meeting had such an active level of participation?
One parent asked, “What were the criteria used to select the new board member?” The question deserves a better answer than was given that evening.
Here are the questions used in the interview process. Some generated more discussion than others but formed a basis for us to get to know the candidates. What we were searching for was someone who would make a complementary fit with the existing board. See how you would answer.
1. Why are you interested in being a school board member and what’s the most important issue facing our schools?
2. If appointed, will you run for re-election next year?
3. There was an election less than a year ago. What has changed to cause you to come forward for this position now?
4. If necessary, would you support closing a school for financial reasons?
5. Give an example of a situation where you changed a rather firm position/conviction based on further evidence or facts.
6. If you could change one thing about Marietta City Schools, what would it be?
7. If needed, will you support a levy or bond issue for this district?
8. What criteria do you use in evaluating educational programs?
9. What do you believe our schools “should” be accomplishing and why are we not doing so?
10. Is there anyone in the system you could not support or with whom you could not work? What connection, if any, do you have with the district?
11. We each bring something to the board, what unique qualities would you add to this board?
12. If not selected, would you be willing to serve on a board committee or provide other assistance?
13. Have you ever been in a position where you were responsible for evaluating, hiring and firing of personnel?
14. Is there anything we have not asked you that would assist us in making our decision? What would you like us to know about you?

We were fortunate to have so many talented folks interested in serving on the board. Each committed to help however they could.
At the PTO meeting it was evident that rumors of closing a school were what turned out so many parents. And as often happens, there were questions about what the board had done or said that were completely unknown to me.
In other words, rumors had driven stories that prompted emotions, questions and assumptions. And this was the first time some subjects were coming to my attention and that of Mr. Elliott.
The advice given was designed to help eliminate the spread of such negative feelings in the future. When you hear a story that just doesn’t seem right on its surface, go ask someone in a position to know the real story. Go to a source. Get the facts.
Your writer was presented one of his own letters from some months ago. Poorly worded, the reader drew an entirely different conclusion than intended by the writer. It happens. Let me be more precise.
This board is united behind the work of moving Marietta City Schools toward a bright future deserving of the remarkable past . We are committed to providing the best for the students of today and tomorrow. With your help we will achieve that goal.