Post seeking: Board of Education District 1
Blake Foster
Blake Foster, BOE district 1 candidate
Career/occupation: Receiving Manager/Minister
Describe your background:
Grew up in Statham. Attended Statham Elementary, Winder-Barrow Middle and graduated Salutatorian from Winder-Barrow High in 1985. Graduated Magna cum-laude from Toccoa Falls College in 1989 with a Bachelors degree in Bible and Theology. Worked for the U.S. Census Bureau and substitute taught in the Barrow County school system until taking a job with burton+BURTON in 1991. I have been with the company for nineteen years. I have been children’s and youth minister at churches in Barrow and Walton Counties. I have coached baseball and football at the recreation level for the past ten years. Currently have a child at Statham Elementary, Winder- Barrow Middle, and Winder-Barrow High.
•If the E-SPLOST referendum fails, will you vote for a property tax increase to service the school system’s debt?
I feel that all government must operate within their budgets rather than depending on the over-taxed citizen to bale them out. The school system, just like any other business, should run efficiently. I would like to think that we have not painted ourselves into a corner where no other options could be explored. I will not vote for a property tax increase.
•What are your plans to deal with budget constraints in a way that will preserve quality instruction for Barrow students?
I feel that we must evaluate the entire system from the local school to the Board itself. It has been my experience that we often get into a routine where everyone is comfortable. Many times when a fresh set of eyes looks at a procedure, they can find ways to change or streamline that will make the procedure better as well as save money. At my company we have weathered the economic down turn very well because we were able to identify changes that saved time and money. We found the low hanging fruit first and then moved to the much harder areas. There was a team working toward a common goal and no one was allowed to stay in status quo. This can and should be brought into the school system.
•What are the three biggest issues that Barrow County Schools must address over the next five years?
Curriculum-We must get back to the basics. We teach to pass tests rather than grounding our children in the fundamentals that they will need to be successful as adults. We tie our teacher’s hands when we make them use curriculum that doesn’t give the student what they need. We must allow them to go beyond simple test taking skills.
Discipline-When a child tells a teacher to shut her mouth and is barely tapped on the back of the hand, we have a problem. When a child tells a principal that you can’t do anything to me because I will call the police, we have a problem. When the ones who want to learn can’t because of the unruliness of the rest of the class, we have a problem. When young men and ladies are allowed to wear clothes that are far outside the dress code, we have a problem. We must find ways to get parents to stand with us in disciplining the students so that they respect those in authority. We must teach them that doing what you are asked, the first time you are asked; with the right attitude is a must to make it in the real world.
Budget- I would like to look for alternatives to lower the budget that doesn’t require furloughs. We must encourage students, parents, teachers and faculty to submit their ideas of ways they think we can reduce costs while improving procedures and the educational level of our students.
Describe your background:
Grew up in Statham. Attended Statham Elementary, Winder-Barrow Middle and graduated Salutatorian from Winder-Barrow High in 1985. Graduated Magna cum-laude from Toccoa Falls College in 1989 with a Bachelors degree in Bible and Theology. Worked for the U.S. Census Bureau and substitute taught in the Barrow County school system until taking a job with burton+BURTON in 1991. I have been with the company for nineteen years. I have been children’s and youth minister at churches in Barrow and Walton Counties. I have coached baseball and football at the recreation level for the past ten years. Currently have a child at Statham Elementary, Winder- Barrow Middle, and Winder-Barrow High.
•If the E-SPLOST referendum fails, will you vote for a property tax increase to service the school system’s debt?
I feel that all government must operate within their budgets rather than depending on the over-taxed citizen to bale them out. The school system, just like any other business, should run efficiently. I would like to think that we have not painted ourselves into a corner where no other options could be explored. I will not vote for a property tax increase.
•What are your plans to deal with budget constraints in a way that will preserve quality instruction for Barrow students?
I feel that we must evaluate the entire system from the local school to the Board itself. It has been my experience that we often get into a routine where everyone is comfortable. Many times when a fresh set of eyes looks at a procedure, they can find ways to change or streamline that will make the procedure better as well as save money. At my company we have weathered the economic down turn very well because we were able to identify changes that saved time and money. We found the low hanging fruit first and then moved to the much harder areas. There was a team working toward a common goal and no one was allowed to stay in status quo. This can and should be brought into the school system.
•What are the three biggest issues that Barrow County Schools must address over the next five years?
Curriculum-We must get back to the basics. We teach to pass tests rather than grounding our children in the fundamentals that they will need to be successful as adults. We tie our teacher’s hands when we make them use curriculum that doesn’t give the student what they need. We must allow them to go beyond simple test taking skills.
Discipline-When a child tells a teacher to shut her mouth and is barely tapped on the back of the hand, we have a problem. When a child tells a principal that you can’t do anything to me because I will call the police, we have a problem. When the ones who want to learn can’t because of the unruliness of the rest of the class, we have a problem. When young men and ladies are allowed to wear clothes that are far outside the dress code, we have a problem. We must find ways to get parents to stand with us in disciplining the students so that they respect those in authority. We must teach them that doing what you are asked, the first time you are asked; with the right attitude is a must to make it in the real world.
Budget- I would like to look for alternatives to lower the budget that doesn’t require furloughs. We must encourage students, parents, teachers and faculty to submit their ideas of ways they think we can reduce costs while improving procedures and the educational level of our students.
Trackbacks
Trackback specific URI for this entry
No Trackbacks