Vote Medford 2007

Kulik: (Q11) Three Ideas to Enhance Community & Parental Involvement

I have opted to answer this question in combination with Question 3 as they are related. Please see the answer provided at Question 3.

Kulik: (Q12) Three Changes To Improve District's Hiring Practices

The current hiring practices are not sufficient. Here are three areas where I would encourage a change of practice.

We should begin earlier recruitment of candidate teachers via "anticipated openings" advertising as is done by other school districts. This should be coupled with more aggressive "job fair" type activities at regional teacher colleges.

We should have less central involvement in the actual selection of candidates. (Education reform officially puts hiring as a responsibility of the building principal. In practice the superintendent, assistant superintendents, and subject area directors are heavily involved.) These decisions should be pushed down to the principals.

We should create a standing advisory board of parents teachers and administrators to review and interview all candidates, in a way which is similar to what we did for recent principal and special education pupil services director.

Kulik: (Q13) Recognizing Religious Holidays Fairly

Religious instruction rightly belongs with the families and not with the schools. As such, care must be taken that no particular religion be recognized above any other. Yet, it is reasonable for religious discussion to take place to understand the diversity of different cultures and families.

Staff and students with a bonfire need to be absent for religious reasons should be allowed to do so without penalty. However, that should be applied equally and reasonably to all religions, whether mainstream or not. This could be a difficult call, but it seems that most principals should be able to make that determination without prejudice when a family or staff member requests accommodation.

With such a policy in place, it would not be necessary to cancel school on Good Friday, as those who wish to attend mid-day services could simply request accommodation like any other religious holiday.

Kulik: (Q14) Strategies Against Classroom Overcrowding

The elementary classrooms are generally good but should be slightly smaller for the ideal environment. The middle school class size is also reasonable. Some high school classrooms are over crowded, and above contractual limits. There is little else to do except hire the appropriate number of teachers to provide the proper student teacher ratio. At the elementary schools, if one school has fewer students, then we should work to assure a more equitable population. Ideas to address that are provided in my answer to Question 3.

Kulik: (Q15) Special Education: Strengthening IEP Teams & Improving Dispute Resolution

We need to be better at informing parents of special education availability and process. Currently the district tends to hide what is available in the interest of cost savings.

We need to push for greater circuit breaker reimbursement. We need to call for earlier state intervention to help with borderline case decisions, and enlist the aid of outside organizations to provide parents with unbiased counseling regarding their rights.

We also need to help parents understand the legal limits required by special education laws to reduce false hope.

We should also create a local hearing body consisting of parents, staff, administration, and school committee members to hear disputes and render a non-binding recommendation.