LifePac of Southwest Washington 2011 School Board Candidate Survey

 Edri Geiger

Vancouver School District Board Director, Position 4

 An Ethic of Life in Public School Education:

1. It is important for all children to receive a strong foundation of values.  These should include appreciation for others’ beliefs and customs.  Our schools not only teach academic subjects, they also prepare students to be caring and responsible.  This is a responsibility of not only schools, but also family, church and the community.  Though collaborative relationships, we can prepare our young people to be compassionate citizens.

Sex Education: 

2. The message of a healthy lifestyle with an emphasis on strong values needs to come from all sources (home, church, school, community organizations and the media).  Parents need to be familiar with the curriculum.  If parents prefer not to have their children participate in the state/district curriculum, it is their right to request their children to not be in the class and instead be given the opportunity to work in another content area.

3.  The emphasis is on abstinence and how to not feel pressured by peers or the media.

School Clinics:

4. Vancouver District does not have clinics, nor does it dispense contraception drugs or devices, nor does it give referrals to pregnancy clinics.   For dispensing any medications Vancouver School District requires parents to provide the medication and permission to dispense it.  This includes all forms of drugs from aspirin to stronger medications such as those needed for a diabetic child.

Abortion and Planned Parenthood:

5, 6,7 & 8.These are not part of pubic education’s mandates.
 

School Choice:

9. It is important for each family to have choice in the type of education setting their children will excel in during their school years.  Recognizing that, Vancouver School District provides a wide array of options from traditional, magnet/academic programs of choice to the parent partnership in The Home Connection and Virtual Learning Academy.

Qualifications:

Education and working with and for our community’s youth has been my focus throughout my life – both personally and professionally.  I want every child to be given the opportunity to reach their potential and become caring ands responsible citizens. 

My qualifications include:

·        Vancouver School Board Director for 6 years.  During this time the district has, with input from all stakeholders, embarked on an ambitious second-generation strategic plan to provide a world-class education for our students.  The District has focused on improving student achievement, being financially sound and efficient, and implementing an education system that empowers our students to be successful now and later in post secondary education and training, careers and in life.  Outreach to all stakeholders (parents, community organizations and other government leaders) has also always been my focus.  Last year, when I was president of the Board, we were recognized as the School Board of the Year: a lot of that came from our diligence, outreach to parents, community and prudent use of resources.

·        State and Federal committee work

o       Washington School Board Directors Association: Legislative Committee and Urban/Suburban Task Force

o       Federal Relations Network Committee

o       Middle Class Task Force

·        Educator:

o       One of the first 175 teachers in the nation to achieve National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification

o       District Teacher of the Year (1994)

o       Created and implemented programs to meet needs/challenges of a diverse student population.

o       Taught graduate professional courses at Portland State University

·        Consultant:

o       Developed and managed a multi-million dollar teacher quality program for the Ford Family Foundation

o       Developed and implemented a mentoring program for new teachers

·        Other Current Community Involvement:

o       One of the founding members of Justice for Children foundation that supports Arthur D. Curtis’ Children’s Justice Center (coordinates community response to child abuse).

o       Deliver Meals on Wheels

o       Resource Development and Program Support for OHSU Parkinson’s Center of Oregon

·        Through out the years I have volunteered in a wide variety of youth and community activities.

Permission is granted for LifePac to post my response on its website.   It is important for voters to learn about each candidate.  Thank you for providing that opportunity.

Edri Geiger

edrigeiger@gmail.com

360-254-4811