District 25 School Board Candidate: Herb Ruterschmidt

Name Herb Ruterschmidt

How long have you been a resident of District 25? 11 years

Biographical Information (optional) family, profession, background, etc. 

Married to Sharon for nearly 14 years.Have 2 daughters enrolled in District 25 schools; one in 3rd grade, and one in 6th grade.I have been a small bsuiness owner for over 23 years. 

Why are you running for the District 25 board? 

I believe the board needs change. It is very troubling when the board chooses to fund special-interest projects over basic student needs such as the LMC, Student Learning and Special Services (including Wired, Special Ed and Odyssey)Many parents and teachers I have spoken to feel that the board is not responsive to their needs, and that they are out of touch; they are very frustrated. There needs to be much more transparency and more collaboration.It is also disturbing to hear from District 2i4 officials that District 25 math and science scores continue to decline. 

What is your opinion on the offering of world languages to younger students in District 25, taking into account the attached costs? 

If there are sufficient funds to satisfy all basic requirements first (as indicated above), then I would be very open to it. I believe every child should be exposed to a second lanuage, as it is truly becoming a global economy. However, this additional benefit must come at a reasonable cost. I believe the cost for the Chinese program far outweighed the small benefits the children received. And I doubt there was much benefit to the children from the administrators' trips to China

What is your opinion of the recently introduced outside evaluation of special education offerings in the school district? 

I am troubled that only one such firm was even considered. There appears to have been very limited input from parents with special ed students. The report appeared very "canned", and appeared strangely similar to other reports displayed on their website. Unfortunately, the primary focus is on cost-cutting, not on resolving the issues with special ed. I beleive their suggestions would have very detriental consequences for all students, in every level.

In the search for a new superintendent, what are the qualities you will look for in a new leader for District 25? 

We need a superintendent that respects, values and considers input from parents and teachers; one that wants to cooperate with teachers in meeting the everyday needs of the children.The superintendent should be more of a collaborator, not a dictator.Teachers should not be afraid to voice their opinions.He/she should have a clear vision and acivable goals.The superintendent should pay attention to changes and trends in the district, and the education system in general.He /she must be able to balance the needs of all 3 levels of students: special ed, general ed, and gifted.The superintendent must also be able to allocate funds in the most efficient and beneficail manner. 

What, if any, improvements would you like to see in the way the board is run? 

Much more transparency. The Board meetings should be more of an open forum discussion rather than the current format. Board members need time to evaluate proposals before deciding for/against them. The public perception is that too often, the board is simply a rubber-stamp for the superintendent. Less closed-door discussions without parent input. 

Additional comments and/or information you deem important for District 25 voters to know about you. 

I have a vested interest in this; I will have children in the District schools for another 2 and 4 years, respectively. Education is our top priority. My wife has been extremely active in the grammar and middle school for many years. I am doing this solely to improve education for all of our children. I have no hidden agenda, am not using it as a platform to run for public office and am not doing it for the publicity. I have many years of experience in negotiating agreements between parties with similar and dissimilar goals. I believe this would be very beneficial to the board. I have already spoken with over 100 parents, teachers and administrators to give me a deeper understanding of their current needs, desires and frustrations. I believe this is not an insurmountable problem; however, open dialogue, and subsequent follow-through are critical. And finally, I honestly weigh every issue and proposal before the board with a priority on how it affects the children; I will not be a rubber-stamp.