Meet your candidates - Virgil DeWild- Candidate for McPherson School Board

Candidates' responses have not been edited.

1. What is your background, and how will it help you to serve this district?

I have a business management background, with data analysis, critical thinking, and continuous improvement, along with good communication skills that were required at my job before retirement
 

2. Describe your qualifications and experience for this office and explain your reasons for running. How would you be an asset?
   I have been a substitute teacher in district 418 for 13 years at all levels. I see a need in the schools for change. Bringing in school experience to help identify and solve some of the problems prevalent in the system now would be a goal.
   
3. What are the priority issues facing our community, and how would you address them if elected?
   Priority issues include grade level, competency, staffing, and prioritizing expenditures. I would try to get a consensus of the board to move for change to improve all aspects of the district.
   
4. What are the most important challenges facing our community, and how do you propose to address them?
   An Important challenge facing our district is student competency, spending, wages, building maintenance, and enrollment factors. These need to be addressed through the board to redirect our efforts for changes.
   
5. Describe your commitment to public education
   I have committed 13 years of substitute teaching to the school district spending over 100 of the 180 days of school in class instruction to help support teachers and students in our district.
   
6. A district is only effective if it serves all constituents. What specific steps would you take to ensure that from all walks of life benefit from equity, access, an inclusive opportunity?
   The system as a whole has a great deal of inclusion, including clubs, sports band, vocations, and special education activities.
7. How will YOU ensure all students are “welcomed” in your district?
   Board members should actively pursue time spent with students, faculty, and administration in their environment to promote a comforting and welcoming setting. 
   
8. Specifically, how should “school safety” be enhanced or improved in your school district?
   There is a need for more cameras in key areas in each school and more active monitoring in real time where feasible. Other security systems and  methods should be evaluated for school safety at each school.
   
9. There is great national concern regarding the status of the teaching profession and whether there are adequate numbers of highly qualified teachers to fill current teaching positions. How will you work with district leadership to ensure vacancies are filled with highly qualified staff, new teachers attracted, and senior staff supported?
   Starting salaries need to change to attract and retain quality teachers. The pay scale of senior staff should be based on effectiveness of job functions.
   
10. If you are elected (or re-elected) how should constituents measure your performance at the end of your term? What would you need to do to earn an “A” (excellent) grade? Identify specific benchmarks. If you are currently serving on the school board, how would you grade your present leadership?
    I would establish a measurement system to evaluate the continuous improvement in areas that are controlled by the board. The improvement level could be measured 
    Incrementally. 
11. Transparency is critical in order to develop trust, improve community engagement and ensure support for public education. How will you ensure the district is transparent with the community? What are the strengths of the district, and what do you see as its biggest challenges?
    I would be open to individuals or small groups, coming to ask questions about topics that are pending and listening to the people’s input. Our strength includes the support of our community toward the education and growth processes of our students. Our challenges include making sure all decisions made are for the greater good of the community as a whole.
    
    
12. How can the board be more accessible to the entire community?
    We would be more accessible if we were holding more frequent public forums to address any issues that are important to the community that arise to communicate, transparency, and understanding.
    
13. An individual school board member has no authority; decisions can only be made by the Board as a whole. What skills or traits will help you contribute to its functioning?
    I feel I possess good communication skills. I ask questions for better understanding. I am open-minded to ideas and strategies. I try to be analytical and look at all sides of the issues at hand before making decisions. 
14. School issues have become fiercely divisive. Can the school board do anything to lessen the rifts in the school district?
    The board can only communicate with the public on the issues they have oversight on and hold entities responsible for change so that the public can see improvements through transparency. 
    
15. Do you believe charter schools strengthen or weaken public school districts? (and why)
    Yes. I feel charter schools point out the weaknesses present in public schools. Public schools need identify these areas of weakness and build an  improvement model to attain higher standards to match and surpass charter school strengths. 
    
16. Anything else our readers should know?

If elected, I will strive to promote changes in the school system that will show the public measurable differences from the present status quo to a proactive and improved system. Our future and society as a whole depends on our students education, growth and success in life.