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BIO FOR ELIZABETH LEIGH CLARK, SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE
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Posted by Elizabeth Leigh Clark on 4/10/2007 21:13: IP: dialup-4.159.182.231.dial1.chicago1.level3.net
Hello. I am one of 13 Candidates on the Ballot for the Pecatonica School Board. Most of what I have written below, I have been saying for a long time and at the Community Forum. I am posting this on the Web to get my information out to those who were unable to attend the Community Forum, and who may not have information about me or my positions. The Rockford Register Star sent a bio page to the Candidates for posting on their website. Unfortunately, I have learned that our local paper, the Gazette will not be doing the same for the upcoming Election. I have expressed my disappointment with this decision, as they made contact for ad space. Our District and Community needs more, not less information. This might not affect the incumbents as much as the new candidates, as the new candidates positions are not as well known. I truly appreciate having this forum to get out my information as a new candidate for School Board.
My name is ELIZABETH LEIGH CLARK. My name will be the 11th on the ballot for the Pecatonica School Board, and I am one of the Pec. Township candidates. I live in Pecatonica with my husband and my two children. I am proud to be among the business owners in our town, as I opened my legal practice here two years ago. I am also very proud to be a member of many of our fine local Organizations and Clubs, such as the Pecatonica PTO, the Lions Club, the Pecatonica Improvement Society, and the Historical Society.
My past experience includes the following: Volunteer Coordinator, Public Relations Director, Substitute Teacher in Pecatonica, legal practice in both private and public sector, Arbitrator and Court Mediator, Pecatonica PTO President, Chairperson for various boards and committees, and establishing my own practice.
My Community Involvement includes being a longstanding volunteer in the District and Community. I have Chaired and ran Pecatonica PTO’s Santa’s Workshop for 6 years, was a Girl Scout Leader for 6 years and a soccer coach. Volunteering for the local organizations and clubs I belong to, a Mediator for Winnebago County Small Claims Division, Substitute Teacher in Pecatonica & Sunday School Instructor in Pecatonica and Pecatonica school volunteer. I am the current PTO President for Pecatonica Schools (term ending April 30, 2007). I am very proud of the PTO and its many fine volunteers and what we have accomplished. In my two- year term, I initiated more complete Bylaws for a better understanding of rules, procedures and for fiscal integrity, I initiated use of email to assist in getting out monthly minutes ahead of time, as well as keeping members updated with information in between meetings. I initiated the setting aside of funds to keep PTO financially secure, as well as trying new fundraising ideas.
The reasons I am running for School Board are as follows:
As I have previously stated, I have two children in the District-one in Elementary and one in Middle School. I have a vested interest in having the best educational system we can provide, not only for my own children, but for the best interests of all the children in our District. I seek to improve lines of communication in our District, resolve fiscal concerns and develop sound educational policies. I want to foster an environment of learning that will make leaders out of our next generations to come.
Although we have a good school system, with dedicated teachers and personnel, I believe we can and should do much more to further it. It is so important to bridge the gap of indifference between the District and our Community. The only way to do this through open communication- providing meeting agendas prior to meetings, getting back to people regarding concerns whether fiscal or otherwise.
We need to do more in the area of Grant writing. Other Districts do and we can only benefit from it, not only financially but also by learning about and providing free resources that are available. We need to work diligently on the issue of school funding, both internally and externally. By internally I mean, we have to make what we have last as long as possible and choose wisely with the resources we have. By externally, I mean that we need to not wait to hit hard the issue of fiscal funding until eight years from now, the time mentioned at the Forum when we might be approaching the need for another referendum. I recommend we begin networking with other Districts and States to see what alternatives are working. Networking can be inexpensive to do-but could yield great results, not only in the area of funding but in implementing important new programs and policies. Think of the money it could save as other Districts may have already gone through the trials and errors and expense and we could reap the knowledge gained from that- not to mention other resources they may have learned about in the process.
As a parent, I want to learn about important policy changes from my District first, and not from a newspaper. I want to know that if I have concerns about fiscal spending that they will be addressed. I want people to feel comfortable coming to Administrators and the Board. I want better relationships developed between our local organizations/clubs and businesses and our District.
We need fair and firm disciplinary policies to insure that our children will feel safe, while keeping our parents informed. We have to have sound educational policies that make sense and that support the goals we are trying to accomplish. For instance, a 1.0, or D average for extracurricular activities/sports is insufficient. I have never received a good answer as to why we lowered our GPA. Certainly, it wasn’t due to pressure to meet IHSA guidelines, as I called the IHSA. I was informed that the guideline is there so that Districts will NOT go below it and that actually the majority of schools maintain a C or 2.0 average. We can build in an exceptions policy for those students who through no fault of there own, struggle with grades, as well as a short probationary period to get students back on track. The reality is that very few students would be affected so why not have a sound GPA policy for all the students. If we set low standards, we can expect low results.
While I believe that Education must come first, it doesn’t mean that we have to exclude other varied extracurricular activities /sports programs that can enhance our children’s lives. After passing a building referendum we should not turn away self-supporting (financially and maintenance wise) activities/sports on the basis that we do not have enough space.
I hope you will vote for me on April 17, 2007, for Pecatonica School Board, ELIZABETH LEIGH CLARK. I want to thank you for taking the time to read this and the time to vote on April 17, 2007. In the last couple of years we have made good strides. I believe this has resulted because of the demand for change. Let’s continue to demand the very best.
With deepest regards,
Elizabeth Leigh Clark