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by Sue Orsen
Shortly after the successful school referendum of November, 1999, (ancient history, you say?) when the elementary school that was promised to Victoria never arrived in Victoria, I promised the people of Victoria, and all other readers of the Gazette, that never again would I fail to inform them of who wants to serve on the School Board of District #112. The time has arrived to inform. When others are entrusted with making decisions for us and our children, we had better know something about them. What I'm offering here is only a profile of the candidates, a rather inadequate profile, but it's a start. I looked for their philosophy on education rather than the narrow vision. I especially wanted to know what the candidates saw as the goals and fluff of public education. It's important to see the forest as well as the trees.
There are a phenomenal number of candidates (10) vying for four (4) positions. Two are Victoria residents, which is a first in the history of School District #112. The Gazette has never made a practice of endors-ing candidates for anything, but it does endorse issues. I endorse clean statements, not beating around the bush - in other words, backbones, not barebones. I endorse the local cause, not agendas for unions and adminis-trations. I endorse honest accountability, not self serving acclamations. I endorse education, enthusiastically.
So get out there and vote, Victoria ... and Chanhassen ... and Chaska ... and Carver ... and East Union. Vote on Tuesday, November 6th, 2001. It's up to you.
Diane Koban 952-443-3693
8630 South Fairway Point, Victoria, MN 55386
I live in Victoria with my partner and daughter, two cats, and a dog. I was born and raised in Philadelphia, lived in South
Florida and Seattle before moving to Minnesota in '95.
I was educated in Philadelphia public schools and Acadia College in PA. I car-ried a double major of psychology and fine arts. Trained in the culinary arts, I came to own and operate a retail and catering charcuterie. Currently, I work at the Jonathan Montessori School coordin-ating classroom music and crafts, and serving as assistant to the class director. During the summer I am a chef for special events at the MN Landscape Arboretum.
In District #112 I have worked on the Legislative Action Committee, ECC Site Council, JES Site Council, Long Range Facility Task Force, District Planning Committee, Committees to pass the last two referendums, Curriculum Committee, and volunteered within the classroom.
1. The goals: Instill the love of learning, provide the opportunity and tools necessary to enable the student to become a confident, productive member of our society. We must graduate young people who are competent in math and reading and have an awareness of the workplace. We must teach additional critical analysis and research skills.
2. The fluff: I would not use the word "fluff" in conjunction with public education. I will say, however, that we in School District #112 need to make better choices in how our taxpayer dollars are being spent. We have finite funds and seemingly infinite needs. I want to make different decisions than this board has been making. I support building main-tenance over field maintenance, on-time buses over bus parking lots, and funding teachers rather than administrators.
3. How has public education succeeded? Education is the great "equal-izer." As the MN Constitution states, "The stability of government depends mainly upon the intelligence of the people, and it is the duty of the legislature to establish a general and uniform system of public schools." Education is the road to success, and that road is paved by the taxpayers whether you use it or not.
4. How has public education failed? Though public education is good and get-ting better, we do have some glaring fail-ures. We fail the 11% of national students who quit school each year and the 2% here in District #112. We trail the best of the world in math and science. Special Education is under funded. We are world leaders and speak only one language. In District #112, World Language isn't offered until Middle School.
5. How do the Ten Commandments relate to values in the classrooms of Dis-trict #112? Human decency is a value almost all of us desire. The expression can be in religious terms (The Ten Com-mandments) or in secular terms (The Golden Rule). Regardless of expression, these values must be well integrated into the District #112 classrooms.
6. Why should a District #112 ele-mentary school be located in the City of Victoria? Victoria has the population to justify placing an elementary school within city limits. Two years ago the school district and the City of Victoria came together to site a school in Victoria. I will support the renewed efforts of Victoria and District #112 to build an elementary school in Victoria.
Jennifer Neubarth 952-443-3721
8098 Sunflower, Victoria, MN 55386
Married seven years, two boys ages 5 and 2. Waitress at the Victoria House restaurant. Graduate of District #112, resident of District #112, parent of Dis-trict #112 student. Graduate of Universi-ty of Minnesota, B.A. in Biology and Journalism.
1, The goal of public education is to prepare students to be productive mem-bers of society, informed citizens of our democracy, and well rounded individuals of the human race. It should also be a role of public education to expose students to the wealth of human accomplishments so they can appreciate and contribute to the world around them not only as workers and voters but also human beings. Through public education, students' horizons can be broadened beyond what they would be exposed to through their immediate environments. Click here to continue.
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