Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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ELECTION Guide 2012 School Board Candidates for the Cumberland County School Board were asked the following three questions: • Without taxing authority, how can the Cumberland County Schools address budgetary shortfalls? • What can be done in future years? • What will you do to avoid partisan divisiveness among school board members? State and federal budget cuts have affect public schools throughout the nation. Without taxing authority, how can the Cumberland County schools address its budgetary shortfall: The school system administrators and grants' department can request grants and constantly researching for new grants. The system can partner with businesses and organizations in order to secure funds for schools. The administration can continue to communicate with county and state bodies requesting more funds. Other North Carolina school systems, such as Alice S. Chisholm School Board, District 1 Wake and New Hanover County schools, have been plagued by partisan divides among board members. What will you do to keep this from becoming problem in Cumberland County? We are elected to non-partisan positions by all citizens therefore our main concern is to all persons. Our main concern is all students, parents and employees. Therefore, with that in mind, I will work seriously at developing consensus, compromise when it is in the best interest of the students and work at being a team member without compromise my values, beliefs and the best interest of students, parents and employees. We currently have School Resource Officers at each Middle and High School . We can accomplish our goal to have cameras in all schools and buses. Ensure that the students are informed and educated through preventive programs. Promote and enforce the No Bullying Policy and letting the students how to report bullying. Enforce the policies that are in place to maintain safe schools. Carrie Sutton State and federal budget cuts have affect public schools throughout the nation. Without taxing authority, how can the Cumberland County schools address its budgetary shortfall? What can be done in future years? Though State and Federal cuts have increased, as a school system we still have the daily obligation to provide the very best education to the students attending Cumberland County Schools. The school system as a whole has had to work with less and produce more. Our students have a right to the very best teachers, School Board, District 3 26 UCW OCT. 31 - NOV. 6, 2012 the very best administrators, the very best tools to enable sound learning as well as safe well kept school buildings. Therefore, we understand in order to continue to provide the quality education process here in Cumberland County, it will have to be a community effort. The cuts has affected our school system and in order to continue providing the great educational experience that our student receive here in Cumberland County we must continue to make smart cuts and spend very wisely. This has been and will be the mission of Cumberland County Schools now and in the future. However, the need will be for the entire community to participate. It has to be a collaborative effort in order for Cumberland County Schools to continue to be the great school system that it is for our children. Other North Carolina school systems, such as Wake and New Hanover County schools, have been plagued by partisan divides among board members. What will you do to keep this from becoming a problem in Cumberland County? I truly believe that first and foremost partisan politics has no place on a school board. As a school board member my job is to look out for the best interest of each and every child in Cumberland County and to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars. I have no desire to bring party politics to Cumberland County. The threat of violence in the school is growing. What more can the school board do to protect the students while they are at school? Creating a safe and effective school climate is a must in today's society. The continue implementation of anti-violence programs within each and every school is a must. A strong student code of conduct policy and a safe way for students to report behavior that may lead to violence. In many cases other students knew about the plans of violence and did not tell anyone. We have to make sure students feel safe and protected when telling what they know. The key is to prevent the violence from occurring within our schools. This is where the school board will need to implement strong policy. School Board Member District 4 Educators are looking over the edge of a massive fiscal cliff. Over the last two years $620 million has been cut from K-12 public schools. As a dependent school system, we must rely on funding from state, federal and local sources. We must continue to communicate budgetary issues to the public as well as elected officials at each level to provided adequate funding for our class rooms. We currently have 400 fewer positions that three years ago. As a state, North Carolina is ranked near the bottom in per pupil expenditures currently funding $5,162 per student and that figure must be increased. Restoring school funding should be an urgent priority. If budgetary Larry Lancaster shortfalls continue, cuts will eventually hit all programs and employees. There are many examples in North Carolina where partisanship has raised its ugly head and school boards across our state should take heed. This has not been a problem with our school board. It is time to eliminate all partisan bickering and think about the students. They deserve our allegiance and our board will continue to focus on student/school needs rather than partisan views. compromise! This is a must for learning to take place. The development of sage and orderly schools requires a comprehensive and long-term planning process as a way effective strategies and a partnership of school, family and community. Unfortunately, there is no way to guarantee that a school will not experience disruptive events even with an extensive plan. Our energy, as a school board has been directed into preventive planning that can increase the probability that our schools will be safe. We are committed to safe and orderly schools at any cost and have SRO protection, security cameras, secured locked doors, Safe Schools Coordinators at all junior and senior high schools and a continuous awareness of security issues. Safe and orderly schools must not be a Cheryl Lewis The Cumberland County schools will address budgetary shortfalls in these ways: reviewing of current budget to ensure wise spending of all dollars,working with all agencies and elected officials to communicate needs and open communications with our state and federal officials to include sufficient funding for all mandates from our lawmakers. We never want a Board of Education to become partisan. Children are neither democrat or republican. I will always remember that all decisions are based on what is needed for our children. We must work together as a team. The Board of Education must protect our students by ensuring that we clearly define all rules and consequences. We need to provide high support for consistency and fairness. High support,high visibility and high expectations from the principal. The Superintendent and the Board of Education must also support each school in the mission of teaching and learning. I believe the principal is the leader in providing a safe environment. School Board, District 6 James A. McLaughlin School Board, District 2 Educators are not magicians. Each year, we ask our schools to do more with less. We need to do a better job of educating the public about our lack of resources. The public can put pressure on our State Representatives and Commissioners. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM