Meet the Candidates: Jim Grabusky

Jim Grabusky

Running for: Southern Lehigh School Board

Political Affiliation: Republican

Residence: Upper Saucon

Education: Pennsylvania Principal Certification: Educational Leadership, Penn State University, 2010; Masters of Science, Environmental Pollution Control, Penn State, 2000; Bachelors of Science, Earth and Space Science, Bloomsburg University, 1992

Profession/Work Experience: Teacher - Catasauqua Area School District

Elected Positions: n/a

Why are you Running? Our community is blessed with an outstanding educational system. The challenge facing the district is how to continue outstanding education in an environment of decreasing funding.

If elected, what would you like to accomplish? I hope to bring valuable educational experience and creative ideas on how to increase funding and get more accomplished without stressing the tax base. I bring a willingness to serve the community from multiple perspectives: a parent, homeowner and educational professional who was raised in the Lehigh Valley.

FORUM QUESTIONS

Do you support pay freezes for school employees for all positions?

I think one of the first things people do is assume that if you cut salaries that’s the only way to save money. You have to look at how salaries are set and where the money comes from and if the money is coming from their retirement. You need to look at the teachers and not hurt the teachers. The teachers need to be valued because they’re the ones with your children.

Do you think the number of administrators and their salaries has outgrown the district?

 It would be really difficult to say that administration should be taking salary freezes if others can’t. You need to look at whether it needs to be done and look at the business model. You need to ask, are all the current positions needed and are they all being filled where they should be?

Do you see a need for a teachers union?

That’s a very interesting question which I really can’t address because we don’t have the power to disband or change it. There are definitely good parts to it, but it’s something you have to really understand in order to work with.

Do you support charter schools and school vouchers?

Charter schools and school vouchers will definitely take away funding from public schools. We need to address the laws that support that need. I would not support anything that would take away the funding from our schools.

If you were faced between making cuts that would negatively affect education or increase property taxes what would you do?

I coach an Odyssey of the Mind team, and they were asked to build a structure as high as they could with paper clips and a few coins. Some started from the floor and built the structure up, and some started from the top, holding the paper clips in a chain while standing on a chair. What I’m trying to explain is that there is always more than one way to solve a problem. You can’t look at making cuts or raising property tax. In terms of education, you need to look at how to give and get the best education you can.

What would you do to improve cooperation with township supervisors?

I think addressing it and letting people in the community know where it’s going and where it’s been is an important start. Keeping an open forum is a good start at keeping people informed and able to comment and see what goes on.

Studies have shown nutrition affects school performance. Do you believe the food service program should be changed?

I would like to look at how the food service industry works with our health curriculum. If they’re not in alignment with each other, then I think that should change.

You have mentioned salaries but what are some other choices that need to be made?

I would step back and take an analytical look at it. You need to look at how to fund things to make the school strong and the community good. Instead of looking at what can be cut and what can’t, I’d like to take the opposite approach and look at how we can pay for these things.

How important is it to attend school board meetings and serve on committees?

It’s critical to attend the meetings if you’re on the board. That’s the reason you’re volunteering -- to discuss the issues going on in the schools. It’s absolutely critical.

How would you bring cyber school/charter school students back?

I certainly believe that competition is a good thing.  If there’s a cyber school out there that’s doing a great job, then that’s great.  If we’re being judged by PSSA scores, then I believe that cyber schools should also be judged by PSSA scores.

What is the state percentage of surplus dollars allowed per district?

We certainly don’t want to overtax anybody. But if you look at the Lehigh Valley as a whole and all the school districts, you look at who plans ahead and who is in debt. You certainly don’t want to overtax anybody, but it’s definitely nice to not be in debt and to have that nice cushion under us. The only thing I want to add is that it would be really nice if there was a budget that can be easily seen. The average person has a hard time looking at it and understanding it, but it’d be really nice if we had a budget where everyone could look at it and knew what everything meant.