Candidate name: Why are you running for school committee? (Jill Johnen, 1 other) What is the single biggest change that can be implemented to improve the school system right now ? (Jay Fabrizio, 2 others) What steps have you taken to educate yourself about the many different functions of a school district? (Barbara Fitzsimmons, NKSD Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment) What do you consider to be the top priorities in maintaining a quality educational program in the North Kingstown schools? As a School Committee member, what would you do to insure that these priorities are supported? (James M. Halley, NKSD Superintendent of Schools, 1 other) Tell me a hard (hard in terms of something unpleasant, that I'd rather ignore) truth about our school system and why I should accept that hard truth or what painful action you think we as a community need to take to change it. (Abigail Addington-May) Who do you think should be involved in writing curriculum and selecting materials for student use? (Barbara Fitzsimmons, NKSD Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment) When do you anticipate the long awaited full day Kindergarten program to become a reality in all North Kingstown elementary schools? (Nancy Anoushian, 1 other) What is your position on the SmART program in the elementary and middle schools? How would you obtain funding to support or expand the SmART program? (James M. Halley, NKSD, Superintendent of Schools) Waiting until 8th grade to learn a second language is too late. What will you do to increase our students' ability to work in a global world? (Jackie Emrich) Currently there are very limited vocational training options, if any, for high school students? Can they be reviewed and more options be made available? (Ada Estrada-Williams ) What options can be made available for student's who fail a class to make up credits during the summer so that they don't fall behind and are at risk for dropping out? (Ada Estrada-Williams) North Kingstown has lagged behind other districts in its use of technology to support instruction. We have few web sites, those that we have are often years out of date, and according to a recent Office of Civil Rights complaint, they are not accessible to people with disabilities. How would you propose the district use technology to help teach children and communicate with parents? (Kerri Hicks) What experience do you have with special education? How would you ensure that you are well versed in special education programs and services offered by the NKSD? (Sharon Schubert) A RIDOE ruling after the closing of Fishing Cove has said that the NK School Committee should practice more oversight over special education programs and services offered by the NKSD. Currently there is very minimal oversight. How would you increase the School Committee's oversight of special education in NK? (Sharon Schubert) SELAC is a standing sub-committee of the School Committee, yet most members of the school committee have never attended a SELAC meeting or met its members. Will you support the mandatory attendance at any one SELAC meeting each year for each school committee member? (Kerri Hicks) Do you feel that North Kingstown needs a full-time special education director whose only responsibility is special education? Currently, Dr. McGregor is in charge of special education as the Pupil Personnel Director, but also has Health Services, Psychology and Social Services in his job responsibilities. His one, full-time position, is split between those 4 responsibilities. (Sharon Schubert) As long as I can remember, (and I'm 48) my Mother has been saying that the high school start times and the elementary school start times should be switched. Seems that she was ahead of her time. How do you feel about this possibility? (Lori Pugh) Many of the candidates say that they will fix the start times (smaller window of opening times). How will they do that with the budget the way it is? Something will have to give, what will it be? (Jackie Emrich, 3 others) Would you vote for returning the elementary schools to 7 K-5 schools regardless of cost? (Julie Rishworth, 3 others) Do you think that the costs of pairing exceeded the benefits? (Team question) What, specifically, would prevent you from unpairing the schools? (Lynn Hall) What is your opinion on an elementary school for the southern end of the town? (Lynn Hall) Do you support and will you vote for returning open forum to every school committee meeting with no restriction as to the topic the public wishes to address? (Lynda Avanzato) Do you support and will you vote for opening up the agenda to, for example, allow other members of the school committee or allow the public to place items on the agenda after satisfying some sort of signature requirement to do so? (example: an item will be placed on the agenda upon the submittal of 10 or 20 signatures of the public) (Lynda Avanzato, 1 other) If elected, what new school committee policies will you fight to see passed? (Laureen Berglund, on behalf of NK Parents Care) What do you see as the key in restoring functionality to our School Committee? If elected, what steps would you specifically take to help restore that functionality? (Laureen Berglund, on behalf of NK Parents Care, 4 others) As a Candidate for town wide office, please describe the separation of responsibilities between the North Kingstown School Committee and the North Kingstown Town Council, as you see it. If elected, how will you use your position as an office holder to strengthen and maintain this separation of authority? (Mark Zaccaria, Member, North Kingstown Town Council) Will you fire the superintendent for cause? (Chris Prata, 3 others) What do you believe would be the ramifications of firing the superintendent, including the impact on education and finances of the district? (Team question) One of the duties of the School Committee is to evaluate the performance of the Superintendent. If elected, how would you evaluate the Superintendent's performance on each of the following (please elaborate): Based on your answers to the above, would you be in favor of renewing the Superintendent's contract when it comes up for renewal? (Laureen Berglund, on behalf of NK Parents Care, 1 other) Lately, there seems to be a push to poll the candidates on their inclination to immediately fire Dr. Halley upon taking office. Although some may disagree with me, it seems premature and bit unfair to require candidates to conduct an armchair assessment of Dr. Halley's job performance and to commit to a certain course of action relative to his continued employment. How would each of the Candidates propose to ensure clear Budget items? (Eugene Fry, 3 others) What is your feeling about the need for revising the budget in the fall to reflect any changes from the budget passed in June? (Team question)
If elected, you will almost immediately begin the negotiation process with the NK teachers' union for a new contract to begin in September of 2007. Specifically, please address the following: Do you think that the current health care co-pay [teacher benefits] consisting of a flat capped amount certain is acceptable, or do you have any alternative co-pay methods in mind? (Liz Dolan) Do you support the concept of a state-wide teacher contract as opposed to separate contracts for each school district, and do you advocate including the teacher's health care program into the larger state employee plan? (Liz Dolan) Do you support some/part of the concept of merit or bonus pay for teachers to provide an incentive for student achievement in North Kingstown? (Liz Dolan) Do you feel that the School Committee has any further responsibility to look into the allegations of wrongdoing in the School Department and if so, what actions would you take to address that issue? (Lynda Avanzato) What is your position on the recent audit debate? (Please elaborate) (Laureen Berglund, on behalf of NK Parents Care, 1 other) Do you support any public use of any the athletic fields at the high school? (Kerri Hicks) What is your opinion on the current lawn maintence contract at the high school? If you are unhappy with it how would you change it? (Lynn Hall) Do you support and will you vote for the bond to improve WMS and DES under the current plan for use of those funds? (Lynda Avanzato)
What should be done with Wickford Elementary School? (Kerri Hicks, 1 other) School lunches almost exclusively consist of nachos, pizza, processed chicken nuggets, and other 'fast' food. There are often sandwiches and salads offered as well, but primary school children cannot be relied upon to make healthful choices on their own. Even if we send our children to school with their own lunches, they see the school endorsing these meals as a way of eating. Would you change the school lunch program, and if so, what fundamental changes would you make? (Kerri Hicks) Are you interested in assisting the current Administration in changing our current structure of PTO's to a PTA structure? Why? (Lynn Hall) A place to expand upon your answers or say why voters should vote for you. (No word limit.) Secret password: