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Two Candidates File for One-Year Board Term
March 14, 2017
The community is invited to attend a moderated Board of Education candidate forum Thursday, March 16 at 7 p.m. in the Lindbergh Early Childhood Education multipurpose room. Seven candidates are running to fill three three-year seats, and two candidates are running to fill a one-year seat. The election will be held Tuesday, April 4, 2017.
Name: Martha Duchild
Occupation: Community Volunteer, PSR Teacher
Lindbergh Resident: 40+ years
Name: Mike Shamia
Occupation: Vice President, Fixed Income and Mutual Fund Trading
Lindbergh Resident: 30+ years
Describe your past and present involvement and volunteer work with Lindbergh Schools.
DUCHILD: Committee Memberships: Allergy Policy Review Committee; Subcommittee Chair Prop L; Subcommittee Chair Prop G; Comprehensive School Improvement Plan Committee; Salary Schedule Committee. Board Memberships: Secretary, Lindbergh String Orchestra Development Association (Forte); President, Lindbergh Strolling Strings Alliance. Volunteer and chaperone for K-12 student activities.
SHAMIA: I can be found at student events and field trips with my three sons. I am involved in youth sports, both at LAA and in our community, coaching my boys and managing two select baseball teams. In addition to being a parent volunteer and coach, I also serve as Corporate Liaison to Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis and a voting member at Affton Athletic Association.
Do you have any endorsements or support from an organization, political party or PAC?
DUCHILD: None
SHAMIA: Lindbergh National Education Association
Why are you running for the Board of Education? Please state your goals or areas of focus if elected.
DUCHILD: I want to ensure that the Board of Education continues to place quality education as a top priority when deliberating issues facing the district. From selecting a new superintendent to producing effective responses to aggressive growth, there is little margin for error in navigating a path that will enable the district to thrive. My focus will be on seeking innovative approaches to education needs, allowing the district to enhance student performance while fulfilling its obligation as a financial steward of public funds.
SHAMIA: As a board member, my goal will be to do the hard work necessary to ensure Lindbergh Schools remains a top district. The district is facing significant challenges with rising student enrollment, slowing revenue, teacher contract negotiations and the departure of our Superintendent. As a senior business leader, I bring my collaborative, results-driven approach to the Board using my experience in forecasting, budgeting and succession planning.
Last summer, Lindbergh teachers voted to work to contract and withhold voluntary services outside of the school day. They continue to do so. What is your position on the teachers’ decision to work to contract?
DUCHILD: The decision to work to contract was effective in drawing attention to teacher concerns; however, as an ongoing strategy for leveraging the teachers' position in discussions with administration, work to contract has failed to produce the desired results. Compounding the problem is the lack of any criteria for ending work to contract. Without articulated steps to evaluate progress, teachers are free to change terms at will, leaving administration and teachers without a structure for creating a path towards resolution.
SHAMIA: I know this was an agonizing difficult decision for the teachers. The Blue Ribbon awards and high level of student academic achievement are a direct result of a student faculty that cares deeply about their profession. A solution must be found to assure we value our teachers appropriately.
DUCHILD: My focus will be on making decisions that advance the cause of quality education for our students while respecting my fiduciary role as a steward of taxpayer dollars. Our taxpayers should not be treated as district ATM machines; any request for public funds must undergo a high standard of evaluation and due diligence and be accompanied by a prior record of fiscal restraint before being placed on the ballot.
SHAMIA: I will evaluate all possible solutions to address increased enrollment and funding. The Lindbergh School system continues to be a value for residents living within the district. Our children benefit from the award winning education which helps support and sustain property values. We will need to look at all possible solutions to determine what is best for our students, school district and community while maintaining our Board’s fiscally responsible approach.
What do you think the district’s greatest challenges are in 2017-18? How would you address those challenges?
DUCHILD: District challenges for the upcoming school year center on responding to student growth and managing the financial burdens which accompany that growth. In addition to redistricting and exploring options to fund building/staffing needs, we should seek innovations in modern education to maximize the district's potential. Additionally, mutually agreeable resolutions to teacher issues must be pursued. This requires an end to the teacher work to contract action and recognition of the BOE's authority to govern the district as it sees fit. Our namesake, Charles Lindbergh, was fearless in the face of adversity, and we should take inspiration from his courage and face our challenges with a view towards the future.
SHAMIA: The district is facing the challenges of increased enrollment, revenue constraints, strained communication between the teachers and administration, and the search for a new Superintendent. I believe you must approach each of these challenges with an open-mind and a willingness to collaborate. The Salary Committee to address disparity in teacher pay was an important step in building trust and confidence between our teachers and administration. I would like to see a similar committee formed to address increasing enrollment that will fully represent students, teachers, parents and administration. Revenue growth will need to be examined fully with all options considered for maintaining our level of excellence. Lastly, our Superintendent has announced his retirement. The Board should look for a leader that is student focused and a strong presence in our schools, and is an exceptional communicator who can build consensus.
The community is invited to attend a moderated Board of Education candidate forum Thursday, March 16 at 7 p.m. in the Lindbergh Early Childhood Education multipurpose room. Seven candidates are running to fill three three-year seats, and two candidates are running to fill a one-year seat. The election will be held Tuesday, April 4, 2017.
The one-year candidate responses below are listed in the same order in which their names will appear on the ballot.
Candidate InformationName: Martha Duchild
Occupation: Community Volunteer, PSR Teacher
Lindbergh Resident: 40+ years
Name: Mike Shamia
Occupation: Vice President, Fixed Income and Mutual Fund Trading
Lindbergh Resident: 30+ years
Describe your past and present involvement and volunteer work with Lindbergh Schools.
DUCHILD: Committee Memberships: Allergy Policy Review Committee; Subcommittee Chair Prop L; Subcommittee Chair Prop G; Comprehensive School Improvement Plan Committee; Salary Schedule Committee. Board Memberships: Secretary, Lindbergh String Orchestra Development Association (Forte); President, Lindbergh Strolling Strings Alliance. Volunteer and chaperone for K-12 student activities.
SHAMIA: I can be found at student events and field trips with my three sons. I am involved in youth sports, both at LAA and in our community, coaching my boys and managing two select baseball teams. In addition to being a parent volunteer and coach, I also serve as Corporate Liaison to Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis and a voting member at Affton Athletic Association.
Do you have any endorsements or support from an organization, political party or PAC?
DUCHILD: None
SHAMIA: Lindbergh National Education Association
Why are you running for the Board of Education? Please state your goals or areas of focus if elected.
DUCHILD: I want to ensure that the Board of Education continues to place quality education as a top priority when deliberating issues facing the district. From selecting a new superintendent to producing effective responses to aggressive growth, there is little margin for error in navigating a path that will enable the district to thrive. My focus will be on seeking innovative approaches to education needs, allowing the district to enhance student performance while fulfilling its obligation as a financial steward of public funds.
SHAMIA: As a board member, my goal will be to do the hard work necessary to ensure Lindbergh Schools remains a top district. The district is facing significant challenges with rising student enrollment, slowing revenue, teacher contract negotiations and the departure of our Superintendent. As a senior business leader, I bring my collaborative, results-driven approach to the Board using my experience in forecasting, budgeting and succession planning.
Last summer, Lindbergh teachers voted to work to contract and withhold voluntary services outside of the school day. They continue to do so. What is your position on the teachers’ decision to work to contract?
DUCHILD: The decision to work to contract was effective in drawing attention to teacher concerns; however, as an ongoing strategy for leveraging the teachers' position in discussions with administration, work to contract has failed to produce the desired results. Compounding the problem is the lack of any criteria for ending work to contract. Without articulated steps to evaluate progress, teachers are free to change terms at will, leaving administration and teachers without a structure for creating a path towards resolution.
SHAMIA: I know this was an agonizing difficult decision for the teachers. The Blue Ribbon awards and high level of student academic achievement are a direct result of a student faculty that cares deeply about their profession. A solution must be found to assure we value our teachers appropriately.
Do you support asking the public for a tax increase?
DUCHILD: My focus will be on making decisions that advance the cause of quality education for our students while respecting my fiduciary role as a steward of taxpayer dollars. Our taxpayers should not be treated as district ATM machines; any request for public funds must undergo a high standard of evaluation and due diligence and be accompanied by a prior record of fiscal restraint before being placed on the ballot.
SHAMIA: I will evaluate all possible solutions to address increased enrollment and funding. The Lindbergh School system continues to be a value for residents living within the district. Our children benefit from the award winning education which helps support and sustain property values. We will need to look at all possible solutions to determine what is best for our students, school district and community while maintaining our Board’s fiscally responsible approach.
What do you think the district’s greatest challenges are in 2017-18? How would you address those challenges?
DUCHILD: District challenges for the upcoming school year center on responding to student growth and managing the financial burdens which accompany that growth. In addition to redistricting and exploring options to fund building/staffing needs, we should seek innovations in modern education to maximize the district's potential. Additionally, mutually agreeable resolutions to teacher issues must be pursued. This requires an end to the teacher work to contract action and recognition of the BOE's authority to govern the district as it sees fit. Our namesake, Charles Lindbergh, was fearless in the face of adversity, and we should take inspiration from his courage and face our challenges with a view towards the future.
SHAMIA: The district is facing the challenges of increased enrollment, revenue constraints, strained communication between the teachers and administration, and the search for a new Superintendent. I believe you must approach each of these challenges with an open-mind and a willingness to collaborate. The Salary Committee to address disparity in teacher pay was an important step in building trust and confidence between our teachers and administration. I would like to see a similar committee formed to address increasing enrollment that will fully represent students, teachers, parents and administration. Revenue growth will need to be examined fully with all options considered for maintaining our level of excellence. Lastly, our Superintendent has announced his retirement. The Board should look for a leader that is student focused and a strong presence in our schools, and is an exceptional communicator who can build consensus.