Whitnall candidates don't have all answers
They acknowledge district's vexing financial problems
Hales Corners — The questions dominating a Tuesday night forum for Whitnall School Board candidates revolved around the district's murky financial picture.
For three of the four candidates, it was a sneak preview of the questions they will face during their term on the board.
Incumbents Michael Clarizio and Suzette Larson and challengers Stephanie Richter and Jon Jones are running for three available board seats an each took part in the forum sponsored by the Edgerton Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization.
The event was two weeks before voters head to the polls in the April 6 general election.
The top two vote-getters will be elected to a three-year term. The third-place finisher will serve for two years to complete the term of Robert Lawton, who was elected to the seat last spring but resigned for personal reasons shortly thereafter.
Each of the four candidates said he or she has been active as a volunteer in the schools and wants to help children even more as a member of the School Board.
But they also acknowledged it won't be easy and they don't have all the answers for how to cure the district's financial woes, which they fear will creep into the quality of education.
Addressing budget issues
District administrators are seeking to cut between $1 million and $3 million out of the 2010-11 budget largely because they believe state aid could be sharply cut again, as it was last year.
Some of those resulting problems could include larger class sizes and cuts to arts and extra-curricular activities, common concerns among the candidates and audience members who submitted questions.
Jones said he has attended School Board meetings for the past two years and is hoping he can come up with some solutions by sitting on the other end of the meeting room.
He talked often about trying to strike a balance, especially when walking the line between saving money and not affecting a child's education.
"I'm interested in getting on the board, learning some more things and solving some problems," Jones said.
Clarizio, who was appointed last summer and has served for the past nine months, said he wants to engage new superintendent Lowell Holtz and teachers on how to work out some of the budget-related issues.
Higher goals
Clarizio said he is also looking to keep "raising the bar" on academic standards throughout the district and to make sure technology is used to its full advantage.
Larson said over her six-year tenure she has been proud of "great strides" made to stop bullying problems at the middle school. If elected to another three years, getting class sizes down would be among her top priorities, she said.
Richter is a product of the Whitnall school system, graduating from the high school in 1990. Like Jones, another potential board newcomer, she said she is looking forward to the challenge of finding solutions to problems ailing the district.
She said has always taken pride in the school district and since she started attending board meetings, "the pride has increased."
"But we can do more," she said. "I want to be a part of that."
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