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GOTV

A new mayor, new members on city council and school boards across the county, as well as a bevy of levys. The 2007 election has a little bit for everyone. The board of elections is predicting that only 35% of registered voters will be going to the polls, but once again, I have faith that the people of Findlay and Hancock County are really going to come out tomorrow and beat that number.

For Findlay School Board, FCPolitico endorses...

When I got home from work on Monday, I asked my wife if she wanted to go with me to the Findlay School Board candidate forum being held that evening. The look I received let me know that she would rather not, but knowing how important things like this are to me (especially at this time of the year), she agreed to come along. We arrived at Findlay High School, made our way to the library (which I last saw in the late 80s when I graduated from FHS), and joined the 48 other citizens (I counted twice just to make sure) who had assembled to listen to this year's crop of school board candidates.

Findlay School Board Candidates Forum videos

Here are the videos from the 2007 Findlay School Board candidates forum. The entire forum is covered in 14 parts (yep - 2 hours total...see what I do for all of you). If you did not see the forum in person, or only read about it or heard about it from others, I encourage you to watch these and make up your own mind.

I


Please excuse the sound quality/volume. The candidates decided to not use the sound system that was provided.

-RSKnopfJr

Election 2007: Candidates for Findlay Board of Education

On September 28, I sent letters to the candidates running for the Findlay Board of Education. I asked them a series of questions, and offered to publish their unedited answers. Below are the responses I received; I offer no comment or interpretation about what appears...that is up to you, the voter!

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Why do you want to be elected to the board of education?

RICHARD F. HOFFMAN - no response

BARBARA A.LOCKARD - Although it may sound like a cliché, I truly do feel that good schools are the community’s most important asset.  I’m talking about schools that foster a true learning environment; places where our kids can grow intellectually and emotionally.  Our family is pretty passionate about education.  My husband, Jerry Sisser, is a long time teacher in another school district, and I returned to graduate school in my late 40’s to earn an M.A. in Education from the University of Findlay.  Even when money was tight, we always tried to afford our kids a chance to learn. . . art lessons, music lessons, travel, etc.  (This could be why we still have junky furniture, but very smart kids!)  My son is currently a freshman at Findlay High School and my daughter is a 2005 graduate.  I have a personal stake in our school system.

HAL PAUL - no response

ANNE MONTGOMERY RICKETTS - I believe that my experience in law, education and business combined with over 12 years of parenting provide an excellent background for participating in school government. All organizations can benefit from a fresh prospective. As a member of the Findlay City School Board, I would encourage the entire board to take a fresh look at the way in which everything is done. I do not believe that “that’s the way it has always been done” is a valid reason for continuing any practice.

JEFFERY C. SHRADER - no response

Greetings Candidate!

Last week, I sent a copy of the following letter to the candidates running for Findlay and Fostoria mayor, Findlay city council and the Findlay Board of Education. Go ahead and read it...I'll see you on the other side.

I sent each candidate 5-20 questions (depending on the office) and invited them to respond to as many or as few as they deemed appropriate. On the following days, YOU will see their unedited answers and YOU will be able to add your comments:

• Wed Oct 17 - Candidates for Mayor of Fostoria
• Thu Oct 18 - Candidates for Findlay Board of Education
• Fri Oct 19 - James W. Madison, council candidate 1st ward
• Sat Oct 20 - J. Michael Slough, council candidate 1st ward
• Sun Oct 21 - Michael Eier, council candidate 5th ward
• Mon Oct 22 - Debra E. Seng, council candidate 5th ward
• Wed Oct 24 - Mario J. Bower, council candidate at-large
• Thu Oct 25 - James P. Slough, council candidate at-large
• Fri Oct 26 - John T. Urbanski, council candidate at-large
• Sat Oct 27 - Randy C. Ward, council candidate at-large
• Mon Oct 29 - Thomas M. Knopf, Findlay mayoral candidate
• Tue Oct 30 - Peter M. Sehnert, Findlay mayoral candidate

I want you to prepare in advance for the endorsement days. I will give my selections, but through your comments, I want you to participate as well:

• Wed Oct 31 - Findlay school board endorsement
• Thu Nov 1 - Findlay council race endorsements
• Fri Nov 2 - Findlay mayor endorsement

Make sure you keep an open mind going into all of these. But more than anything, make sure you participate! As the saying goes around here..."All Voices Heard"!!

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Have you heard? Some of the individuals who write blogs for The Courier's Virtual Village have been invited to be on Good Mornings with Chris Oaks tomorrow (Wednesday). Yours truly will be among those in attendance telling everyone else how wonderful you all are, as well as trying to promote the National Presidential Caucus (sign up now...I am working on providing babysitting). So, tune in to 1330-WFIN at 8am on Wednesday...and then let me know how it went.

-RSKnopfJr

Findlay School Board Meeting

In an effort to report a little more about what is going on in the field, I decided to attend the Findlay school board meeting this evening. If you want an official recap, you can get the information from The Courier or WFIN tomorrow morning...it was a normal school board meeting for the longest time, with the only ruckus being the 'leap of faith' the board was granting middle school math teachers in relation to the selection of a new textbook and writing curriculum for algebra (a word of warning to 7th and 8th graders...start studying now!!). At the end of the meeting, however, is when the fun began. 

You may remember a few weeks back when there was a big to-do over whether seniors who did not pass the Ohio Graduation Test would be allowed to walk during the graduation ceremonies. Specifically, two young ladies appealed to both the board and superintendent Dean Wittwer asking that they be allowed to be part of commencement. There were a few stories about this, a few letters to the editor...even I had something to say.

Anyway, toward the end of the meeting, Dr. Eric Browning spoke up and said that he has had numerous individuals calling him in concern about this issue. It was his opinion that the rationale given by Wittwer was not sufficient, and the public deserved a better answer. Dr. Browning went on for awhile about this, and tried to engage his colleagues in the discussion. Just observing the other board members, it was a little unsettling to see their reactions.

Barbara Dysinger tried to clarify what Browning was asking for, and she thought the letter that Wittwer had sent the board on the subject was sufficient. Jeffrey Shrader appeared to be frustrated with the direction of the conversation (and at one time, he and Browning were talking over one another). Martha Rothey tried to settle the subject by relating a story about this same thing happening in the past, and how the student went to summer school and then 'graduated' at a board meeting in the fall (complete with gown, flowers and her parents in attendance). After a good while (20 minutes or so), Wittwer spoke.

I have only seen Dean Wittwer a few times at city events, and whenever I do his look and demeanor remind me of someone - and tonight I figured out whom: Kevin Spacey (but that is another story for another time). Anyway, when he spoke about the agonizing process he went through before deciding that the girls could not walk, I believed him. He was passionate when he explained how he arrived at the decision, and he was animated when telling the board that the policy was not clear and they should take a look at it.

WOW! What a concept, and it only took an hour (once again, really only 20 minutes or so) to arrive at that conclusion. And as luck would have it, the issue is already on the policy committee's agenda...and Browning is on that committee. The plan is to revisit the policy this summer and have something in place by the time students come back in the fall (class of 2008, be on the lookout).

Just my observations (please keep this in mind), but I was a little concerned about the disinterest shown by Julie Brown (maybe she had a headache, or had something else on her mind)...and another time, I was a little put-off by Martha Rothey's answer/story and deflection of responsibility from the board to the superintendent. This is just what I saw as an observer sitting in the seats, and your opinion may vary (feel free to add your viewpoint to the comments). If you want to come to the next meeting and join me, it is July 16th at 7pm in the Central Middle School board room. I'll leave the light on for you.

-RSKnopfJr