League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Education Fund
Hamilton County, OH November 8, 2011 Election
	Jeanie Zoller Answers Questions Candidate for Board Member; Wyoming City School District

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. What are your qualifications for office?

I gained experience and insight over 32 years as a teacher/librarian in Wyoming. My candidacy balances the board membership with my knowledge of education and public funding. I managed library budgets, participated in planning building budgets, and I served on committees determining district procedures, policies, as well as contract negotiations. In 1999, I served on the middle school facilities committee during the update of the building, making decisions especially in the library and auditorium. I co-wrote then managed grants over $375,000 for the middle school. I was a Wyoming Citizen of the Year in 2001 and named Media Specialist (librarian) of the year in Southern Ohio in 2005. I co-chaired a Wyoming schools tax levy election. I have also served as co-chair and treasurer of the Wyoming Art Show. I served on the board of Junior Woman's Club of Wyoming.

2. What would you do to advance the concept of "equity in education" in your district?

I believe that technology is the great equalizer in education and the true 21st century skill, so we must make sure that every child is techno-literate. I propose, with city partnership, a WiFi Wyoming to envelop our community, opening our schools at night to offer technology classes for the community, and providing strong support to our professional staff to keep them on the cutting edge. Educators can apply new technology to customize and personalize the curriculum and so challenge each child. The social media such as Twitter and Facebook, new hardware such as iPads, even blogs, wikis, and those ideas not yet created can be used to engage and motivate each student.

3. How would you use your students' state test results to improve education in your district?

Wyoming has ranked consistently within the top five school districts, in 2011 tied for second, only one tenth of a percent behind number one. State testing provides one aspect to analyze a student's educational growth. Educators analyze a student's performance for proficiencies and weaknesses. Testing data shows value added and AYP growth, allowing a district to compare annual growth and spot trends. Of course, we get a snapshot of how Wyoming students perform compared to other districts as well. When combined with local assessments and evaluations, community response, and anecdotal evidence, the school system can prioritize the district's needs in order to allocate resources and personnel to achieve the district expectations.

4. What will you do to build consensus in the community in support of public schools?

Listen. Keep open links between the Board and the community and between the Board and school employees. Recent rewriting of the Board policy limiting communication between board members and faculty is a conciliatory step, returning to our open culture of shared ideas. The Board must listen to the community, and solicit their input through regular town meetings and small gatherings at homes. When someone brings an issue to the board, it must listen and reply in a timely manner.

5. What are your budget priorities?

First, we must be ever cognizant of the current economic downturn. All school employees have diligently cut costs in the classroom and the board office, reduced budgets, even outsourced or shared services and personnel. Last May the teachers' association approached the board to re-negotiate their contract, saving the district money and enabling us to delay a new operating levy. Priorities, therefore are to continue to control spending, and to economize as much as possible. Study state funding changes to be announced soon. Also, this next board must finance needed improvements in the middle school through possibilities such as a bond levy, grants, state building incentives, and general funds.

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 6, 2011 13:07
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