Waldemar R. Vinovskis

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• Age:  47
• Residence: Macungie
• Do you have children in the district?  My daughter is a 2010 graduate from Emmaus High School, I currently have a son at Emmaus High School (11th), a son at Eyer Middle School (7th), and a son at Macungie Elementary School (5th)
• Politics:  I am a registered Republican.
• Experience: Since 2003, I have been actively involved in the EPSD including the parent organizations at Eyer Middle School (Eyer Connection) and Emmaus High School (CORE), the Superintendent’s Parents’ Advisory Committee (PAC), the Coordinated School Health Committee, the Take Back Our Children Community Task Force, the Act 1Tax Study Commission, the Steering Committee for the EPSD 2008-2014 Strategic Plan and the Emmaus High School Middle States Accreditation Steering Committee. 

1.    What motivates you to want to become a board member?

I am a parent in the East Penn School District (EPSD) and I am a taxpayer. I believe in these difficult economic times we need responsible, concerned and engaged citizens to oversee and guide the operations of our school district. Since 2003, I have been actively involved in the EPSD including the parent organizations at Eyer Middle School (Eyer Connection) and Emmaus High School (CORE), the Superintendent’s Parents’ Advisory Committee (PAC), the Coordinated School Health Committee, the Take Back Our Children Community Task Force, the Act 1 Tax Study Commission, the Steering Committee for the EPSD 2008-2014 Strategic Plan and the Emmaus High School Middle States Accreditation Steering Committee. These experiences, along with the encouragement of many of my fellow East Penn parents and community members,  have led me to the conviction that this is the right time to step up and serve our community as a school director.

2.    What do you see as the board’s roles and responsibilities?

The East Penn School Board has a two-fold responsibility of serving as a representative of the local taxpayers of our community and as an agent of the State of Pennsylvania in order to ensure the schools in our district are achieving their stated objectives of preparing lifelong learners and contributors to a global society. The Board is responsible for fulfilling these roles openly and honestly, and, as good stewards of our community tax dollars, in the most efficient manner possible.

3.    What is your vision for education in this community?

It is my vision that the East Penn School District should be a leader in the Lehigh Valley and across the State of Pennsylvania in preparing young people to achieve their best personally and academically as they become productive and contributing citizens in our community and world. The EPSD should continue its legacy of high achievement in academics, athletics and the arts.

4.    What do you see as the primary work of the board?

The primary work of the School Board includes fulfilling its responsibilities under the laws and regulations of the State of Pennsylvania, including: developing a strategic plan for the school district, setting policies for the oversight and operation of the school district, adopting a curriculum of study—including special education and textbooks—for the district schools, electing a superintendent and hiring staff, providing and maintaining proper facilities for the school district to achieve its objectives, adopting an annual operating budget for the school district and levying taxes to support the budget. The board is accountable to the citizens and the taxpayers of the District to carry out its work transparently and in a fiscally responsible manner.

5.    What are the current challenges facing education/school boards?

Clearly, the greatest challenge facing school boards in Pennsylvania today is the economy and Governor Corbett’s proposed budget. In our schools, as in many businesses today, we are being asked to do more with far fewer resources. The current state budget crisis is not simply asking us to be a little more frugal, it is challenging us to completely rethink the way we operate our school district and to be very resourceful in the way we manage our finances. Along with finances, all schools across our country are challenged to focus on student growth and achievement in order to prepare the next generation of leaders in government, business, industry, technology and the arts in order for America to remain a leader in this global economy.

6.    Would you support a tax increase?

In this economy, I would be very apprehensive about supporting a tax increase. I believe Governor Corbett’s proposed budget has created a tremendous burden on school boards. The millions of dollars of cuts to state education funds that the governor has proposed now shift the tax burden to local property owners. I would consider a tax increase only to keep intact the core educational mission of our school district.

7.    Can you think of any district expenses that should be cut?

In the current budget climate, I believe that all departments in the School District need to seriously evaluate what serves the core educational mission of our schools and look for reductions and efficiencies wherever possible. Recognizing that we need to honor the contractual obligations we have, I believe no item—large or small—should go without scrutiny and every department in the school district should be prepared to “tighten its belt”. Expenses that that I would look to cut first, would include programs and staff which might be deemed as not essential to the core mission of our schools, such as field trips, some elective courses and the like.

8.    Do you support merit pay for teachers?

Speaking to the current situation in the East Penn School District, I do not support merit pay. While there may be some school districts where good educators are underpaid or where underperforming teachers are consistently rewarded regardless of the quality of education their students are receiving, I do not believe this is the case in the EPSD. Because I know teachers in the EPSD to be dedicated educators and committed to their students, I do not believe a financial incentive would significantly improve the quality of education in our classrooms. At the same time, I believe a merit pay system would place an unbearable, bureaucratic burden on school administrators, that it would be difficult to administer fairly and that it would create a competitive, if not negative, environment among our school staffs.

9.    Are you in favor of the Governor’s school voucher proposal?

I am not in favor of the Governor’s school voucher proposal. As above, I believe there are some school districts where a voucher program might afford parents an opportunity to choose the best education possible for their children. Unfortunately, many already-underfunded, inner-city schools would lose even more funding, exacerbating a number of the problems such schools are already facing, without addressing the social and economic issues which often contribute to the difficulties their students have in learning and academic achievement. I believe the Governor’s proposal would also have a detrimental effect on the East Penn School District.

10. How do you think Gov.Corbett’s proposed budget will affect East Penn?

If Governor Corbett’s proposed budget passes, I believe it will have an extremely negative effect on education in Pennsylvania from the Kindergarten classroom all the way through to our universities. Ultimately, it could negatively impact high school graduation rates, reduce the number of students enrolling in our state colleges and universities and undermine the quality of the workforce in our state. I believe that the State continues to place educational mandates on local school districts for which it does not provide funding, and then passes the costs of education onto local property owners and taxpayers. Locally, I believe the proposed cuts will begin to eat away at those programs which contribute to the high quality of education we provide in the East Penn School District and ultimately undermine the quality of the communities in which we live.

• Do you have a social media page, such as a Facebook account?  Yes
• Do you tweet? No

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