School Board Candidates

By The Parklander

SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE
Abby Merle Freedman
Why do you want to serve on the school board?
"I am running for the school board because I am determined to bring education and the resources to support it back to the classroom. I am a mother and advocate for children in regular, special needs, and gifted programs via my three children and see first-hand the problems facing our education system. I am confident in my ability to help facilitate the changes needed. My business degree, law degree, and elementary education course work, along with my life experiences as a financial officer, budget coordinator, legal intern at the Pentagon and elementary school teacher, will assist me to properly analyze situations, understand perspectives, and implement policies and procedures."

Will you be endorsed by any organized group?
"The organized group that I am presently seeking to endorse my campaign is the Broward Teachers' Union. If it endorses my campaign, I will be honored to publicize that support. However, I will not be accepting any funds that typically accompany its endorsement because I have decided to entirely self-finance this campaign. One of my goals is to retain and entice teachers, not take their money. If I am elected, you can be sure that my only interest and priority will be what is best for education."

What is the biggest challenge facing public education in Broward County?
"The biggest challenge facing public education in Broward County is putting priorities and the budget in order. For our educational system to be successful, we need to lower class size, provide essentials to operate, entice and retain quality teachers, give students skills needed to succeed, and prevent waste."

Specifically, which of your personal qualities will help you be an effective school board member?
"Knowing how to advocate in a diplomatic manner is a quality that will assist me in being an effective school board member. I am described as an aggressive businesswoman who knows how to be fiscally responsible, as well as an individual who has a full understanding of how to apply accounting principles, finance and management."

SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE
Andrew Ladanowski

What is the biggest challenge facing public education in Broward County?
"Ensuring that limited money gets into classrooms by reducing all other expenditures, including labor-intensive manual payroll/timekeeping. Wise use of technology, such as electronic timekeeping, will save millions. Millions can be saved in transportation, as well. It is time for real leadership to make necessary changes for the 21st century."

Specifically, which of your personal qualities will help you be an effective school board member?
"I have been a member of the Facilities Task Force (FTF) for about seven years and currently am its chairperson. With this experience, I have identified and reported mismanagement, lack of accountability, and waste. This included meetings with the superintendents quarterly for several years as a member of the task force, meeting privately with board members, addressing the board publicly, and informing the press.
"I have two children in public schools, and I have volunteered by tutoring math in the classroom, going on numerous field trips, and ultimately receiving an award from Parkway Middle School. I have been involved in a variety of programs with a child in ESE, regular school, magnet programs, and public virtual school.
"In addition, I recently was appointed to the Coral Springs Charter Advisory Board. For the last seven years, I have run a small business which assists medical clinics and billing offices in streamlining operations with technology. These skills will be utilized in improving the district's operations. Finally, as an approved substitute teacher who has worked in the classroom, I appreciate the challenges of being a teacher. I will bring these multiple perspectives and provide needed leadership to the school board."

SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE
Robert Alan "Bob" Mayersohn

Why do you want to serve on the school board?
"As a successful business owner, community volunteer and parent activist, I have a unique passion for helping our kids maximize their potential. By putting myself in the public domain, I am willing to be subjected to the scrutiny and held accountable to ensure that our kids get the best education possible."

Will be you be endorsed by any organized groups?
"I have already been endorsed by the Broward 10-13 Club (retired New York City police officers of all ranks)."

What is the biggest challenge facing public education in Broward County?
"There is a multitude of challenges facing public education in Broward County, including the budget, communication and class size. However, in my opinion, the most challenging is the over-emphasis and over-reliance on standardized testing and the significant impact it has on teaching and learning."

Specifically, which of your personal qualities will help you be an effective school board member?
"My unique and exceptional commitment, maturity and leadership will allow me to be an effective school board member. In order to address complicated policy issues, I will use my strong business skill set to collect an array of information and analytically evaluate it. I am also adept at collaboratively working with others to reach common ground."

Why are school boards necessary?
"You might debate the issue of whether a particular board is effective or not. However, in order for a school district to operate, there needs to be a governance model where the voice of the public is represented. There is a necessity for having a school board whose role is to set strategic direction, clearly define accountability by setting policy, oversee the performance of the superintendent, and approve a budget that allocates our tax dollars to be used efficiently and effectively."

SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE
Rochelle "Shelly" Solomon

Why do you want to serve on the Broward School Board?
"‘Mission statement: The School Board of Broward County, Florida is dedicated to meeting the educational needs of all students in a safe learning environment.'
"I want to serve on the school board to focus on student achievement. Fiscal responsibility requires allocating our limited resources in our classrooms so teachers can teach and students can learn. Student achievement means supporting parental involvement and community engagement because it does take a village to raise a child. Student achievement means, as a board member, I will continue my goal of ending bullying in our schools."

What is the biggest challenge facing public education in Broward County?
"The biggest challenge is continuing to prepare our students academically, socially and emotionally for college or vocation opportunities in an environment where the state legislature continues to give Broward unfounded mandates, less overall dollars per pupil spending, and high stakes testing (see Florida Writes this year). As a result, teachers are not getting paid what they should, there is too much pressure on schools and students, we have very limited classroom resources, and our students are losing critical, creative thinking and life skills to prepare them for their futures."

Which of your personal qualities will help you be an effective school board member?
"Having been a former professional athlete and attorney, I am very disciplined, focused and prepared. I always do my homework. I am an independent, analytical thinker. I like to approach an issue from a broad perspective and consider all sides before making a decision. I have excellent listening and communication skills and I believe I can offer solutions. As a parent with children in District 4 schools, I relate well with parents and issues facing our children, helping to create an environment of community engagement. I am open, down to earth, and very accessible. Finally, I have the experience of writing a board policy (the model Broward County anti-bullying policy)."

SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE
Nick Steffens

Why do you want to serve on the school board?
"Unlike any other candidate in the race, I have a daughter who will start in the public schools next year, so I have a long-term interest in the students of Broward receiving a high-quality public education."

In your opinion, what entrenched interests exist and how do you see yourself in relation to them?
"The entrenched interests are the students, parents (both active and inactive on issues), teachers, administrators, taxpayers, third-party vendors and their lobbyists, other school board employees, the employee unions and organizations, the business community, the school board staff and the superintendent. As a board member, I would see myself as an advocate for the students first. After we have established that a decision is in the best interest of the students, I would then determine if it is in the best interest of the taxpayers when it deals with spending funds."

Will you be endorsed by any organized groups?
"I will actively pursue endorsements from organizations that seek board members whose goal is to improve the quality of education and ensure that taxpayer money is spent wisely. I will also be endorsed by a variety of individuals known in our community who support my commitment to public education."

What is the biggest challenge facing public education in Broward County?
"The lack of revenue is the biggest challenge facing the school board. It is impossible to pay teachers a fair salary, improve dilapidated schools, build new schools (especially in Parkland), pay for school resource officers at every school, ensure ESE children have appropriate staff, and meet class size requirements with the current amount of money the school board receives from Tallahassee."

Specifically, which of your personal qualities will help you be an effective school board member?
"I am absolutely fearless. I will not be intimidated by any group or individual into doing something that is not in the best interest of the students."

Why are school boards necessary?
"School boards are required by statute in Florida. However, every large entity needs a board of directors to act in a fiduciary capacity to ensure the organization's goals are met. This school board must serve as a check on the superintendent and staff to ensure that all expenditures benefit students and taxpayers, statutes and constitutional requirements are followed, and the curriculum is world-class. School boards serve as the face of Broward County public schools."