Academic Focus: My guiding principle is to maximize academic achievement in all schools – not just “academies” or magnet schools. Every school must prepare Hamilton County students for success in higher education and the workplace, and give them the tools they need to be informed, productive citizens in the 21st century. This starts with (but is not limited to) stressing the fundamentals of reading, writing, and mathematics.

Fiscal Responsibility: I will be a good steward of the financial resources provided by the taxpayers of Hamilton County, placing every dollar where it will do the most good for our students and teachers. It is my specific goal to increase the proportion of the Department of Education’s budget that goes directly into our classrooms to 90% or more of total appropriations.
I will not support a school system budget that requires a tax increase in order to be balanced.

Effective Communication: Our schools can only improve if parents, teachers, students, and the Hamilton County School Board work together. I will make myself readily available for communication with all these key constituent groups. I will answer e-mail and telephone messages within a reasonable time frame and will gladly meet in person with PTAs and other citizen groups, given reasonable notice.

Transparency and Accountability: I will conduct myself with openness and integrity. I will do the business of the public in public, adhering to the letter and the spirit of the Sunshine Law and all other applicable state laws and rules of ethical behavior. I will always keep in mind that I am a public servant who represents the students, parents, teachers, and tax-paying citizens of Hamilton County; their interests must, and will, always be placed ahead of my own.

Your Schools: Your Voice … will be heard! You deserve a quality neighborhood school and a School Board that works for you and your children – not private foundations or special-interest groups.

Furthermore, discipline problems at various schools have put our students at risk and embarrassed both the school system and our community. Students deserve a safe environment in which to learn. Teachers deserve to work in safe schools. Current rules need to be enforced to the letter which will send a message to unruly children and their parents that this unacceptable behavior will no longer be tolerated.

These policies were put in place by a school board that usually votes 8 to 1 on over 90% of issues that have been considered. Over the last several years past school board chairman Chip Baker and member Debra Matthews have “led” the school system into turmoil. Now it is in jeopardy of being out of control both financially and from a standpoint of discipline.

It is obvious that a drastic change of direction is needed. To secure that goal an Education Team for change is being offered in the August election. This team is being led by school board member Rhonda Thurman, who is running unopposed in District 1. Rhonda has been fighting for these changes for years and has been voted down by the 8 to 1 school board almost every time. Hamilton County taxpayers need five votes for change. Electing Rhonda Thurman and three new candidates will put us well on our way toward having a successful school system.

The following candidates will be running for school board seats under the banner “BACK ON TRACK 2008″

District 1 - Rhonda Thurman - Unopposed

District 2 - Joe Dumas - Opponent - Chip Baker (incumbent)

District 4 - Gregg Juster - Opponents - Debra Matthews (incumbent) and Kenneth Simpson

District 7 - Michael Dzik - Opponents - Kevin Burke II and Linda Mosley.

A press conference and rally will be held on April 17^th at 4:00 PM immediately preceding the school board meeting to release the details of this platform.