Jim Sullivan Responds to Orcas Issues Questions for School Board Director Position #1

Jim Sullivan

Orcas Issues asked candidates for elective races to respond to questions. Chris Sutton’s and Jim Sullivan’s answers are featured today.

Candidates Bob Connell and Tony Ghazel, running for School Board Director #2, will respond to the same questions later this week.

Candidates for the Orcas Fire District Position #3 (Barbara Bedell and Pierrette Guimond) will respond to questions tomorrow.

For further information on each candidate, contained in the Official Voters Guide, go to the official San Juan County website:

https://wei.secstate.wa.gov/sanjuan/Pages/OnlineVotersGuide_20091103.aspx

Readers will be able to refer back to the candidates’ answers on previous days by typing their name in the “Search” window at the top of the website.

1)      What in your experience and vision brings you to put yourself forth as a candidate for the five-member Orcas Island School District board?

In the Army, I developed an award-winning filing system for classified documents.  Before moving to Orcas, I spent 14 years as an art director for a large printing firm, overseeing all projects.  As a grassroots organizer, I lobbied state lawmakers to prevent BLM from developing historical forest land.

From my wife, Linda, a special education teacher, I caught the passion of meeting each child’s individual learning needs and accommodating their different learning styles.

My vision is rooted in my personal participation in music and the arts and my strong commitment to every project I undertake.

2)      What do you consider the most important responsibilities of the School Board? Please state your unique abilities to fulfill those responsibilities, including the number of hours you envision working as a School Board director, both in and outside of public meetings.

The time I would spend would be the time needed to get the job done correctly – putting a minimum or limit on the time commitment I bring to every project doesn’t recognize the dynamics of the job.  Those who know me professionally describe me as indefatigable, patient, and a bulldog at getting the job done.

The school board acts on behalf of the people of our community, and sets and evaluates goals for student achievement.  The board’s job is to hire and evaluate the superintendent, who manages operations and district staff. The board adopts the budget and sets financial priorities and policies regarding which courses, programs, and resources will best fit students’ needs.

3)      The School District will be proposing a construction bond in an election in February 2010, estimated to be around $25,000,000. If you are elected to the School Board, what points will you include in advising voters to approve the bond?

As it has been clearly stated at the board meetings, now is the time for such a project because interest rates are low.  This situation won’t last indefinitely – the project would create and sustain jobs – jobs for individuals who would in turn contribute to the economy of the island (as well as pay taxes). I see no need for procrastination here. To wait is to virtually guarantee higher costs and less bang for the buck on this critical project. We also have to realize that the members of our community do not deserve to be taken for granted financially.

4)      The School District has had three superintendents in the past three years. Please comment on the relationship between the District Superintendent and the Board and how you think the board can best work with the Superintendent.

The fact that we have experienced the turnover of superintendents would suggest a disconnect in communication, inadvertent though it may be.  Keeping the lines of communication open in any relationship requires constant maintenance. The role of the superintendent is to facilitate the will of the board and put board policy into action. The board would carefully consider the recommendations of the superintendent. The board would then provide direction to the superintendent and approve, disapprove, or modify those recommendations. In short, transparency of intent and two-way respect is the key here.

5)      The Orcas School District has grappled with under-funding from the state for basic education, and has called upon the support of community organizations to assist it in maintaining programs and staff. What are your ideas for addressing the chronic budget shortfall and how would you go about their implementation?

We need to relentlessly lobby state legislators for more funding. It takes a bigger chunk of our budget than in a larger district to provide mandated services, and being remote makes it more difficult to share costs with neighboring districts; this is an area that can be further explored.  We need to continue to recognize and appreciate those community members who reach into their own pockets to supplement school district needs, but a permanent solution through state funding would be more sustainable and would eliminate much of the upheaval we experience each spring with teacher layoffs and cut services.

6)      If you were to communicate one message to the voting public regarding your service as an Orcas Island School District Director, what would that be?

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.  – Nelson Mandela

Join me in my efforts to keep improving our schools and our way of life here on Orcas.

Jim Sullivan

Candidate for School Board Director #1
Orcas Island School District #137