Important Issues facing our School District

By Michael P. Reilly

As a member of the School Board I worked to ensure fiscal responsibility; improved communication with all district residents; and advocate at the federal and state levels for increased support for under-funded mandates.

I was appointed to the Wallingford-Swarthmore Board of School Directors this past January following the resignation of one of the representatives from Region 2. As a current member of the School Board, I have concentrated on three major areas needing improvement:

Fiscal Responsibility - As member of the Finance Subcommittee, I understand the need to carefully allocate our limited resources available for education since we do not have a large commercial tax base. By profession I am an experienced grant writer and have obtained federal and private funding despite a significant decline in federal support of medical research. This experience is a major asset since our District must explore alternate funding sources, such as grants, to help alleviate our tax burden.

Communication - As a member of the Community Relations Subcommittee I am working to improve and increase communication to the entire community. I am especially concerned about senior citizens and residents without children in our schools. These groups must be kept informed of important issues and encouraged to be part of the discussion. I have proposed some simple measures such as adding an email link to school directors on the district website and including a yearly report along with tax bills.

Advocate for all students and taxpayers - As the Board's representative on the Legislative Council of the Delaware County School Boards, I am in an important position to advocate for students and taxpayers at the federal and state levels. I am convinced that local school directors must impress upon our elected representatives in Harrisburg and Washington the urgent need for more equitable funding of public schools to relieve an ever-increasing property tax burden.

My wife and I have been residents of Wallingford for 8 years. We moved here because of the excellent reputation of the Wallingford-Swarthmore schools. Our two daughters attend district schools. Besides my position as a School Director I have been actively involved in our school community in many ways. I have participated in the Dimensions in Math and Visiting Scientist programs, served as a judge at a middle school Science Fair and taught an after-school Hands On Science Outreach program. I was an active member of the Community Advisory Committee on Facilities, which the school district established to provide guidance on pressing building and maintenance issues at SHMS, NPE and WES.

In the coming months our district will see exciting changes and significant challenges. We will welcome our new Superintendent; begin the Middle School construction project and implement changes to the budget process to comply with new state laws. As an incumbent I have first hand knowledge of the many difficult issues we face, as a father I want to ensure that our district continues to provide a high-quality education and as a taxpayer I am committed to fiscal responsibility.