Because local school districts receive a portion of their operating funds from the state, every time the state makes a funding decision, it affects the school board. As a school board member, I’ll support programs that make the district more self-sustaining. That way, whenever the state reduces funding for programs, our schools don’t feel much pain.

I would encourage programs and even classes to be more involved in the community– especially if that means increased revenue for the district. For example, a class at Bonner Springs High School built the new concession stand. This saved the district quite a bit of money and the students gained valuable, practical knowledge. Why couldn’t the class do a similar project for a private business or individual in the community and make a profit? The class becomes self-sustaining with its own budget, profit/loss, etc. just like a business. The district, in turn, doesn’t need to spend as money on that class, so that funds can be used for other programs. Or how about a junior high technology class offering a workshop to teach adults how to use a computer?

I feel that the current school board could do more to explore community-based funding sources or public-private partnerships. That is the idea behind ‘First, do no harm’. The article linked below talks about the dictum ‘First, do no harm’ on a national level. The article discusses the potential ramifications of reactive economic decisions. I encourage you to read it and then think about how this applies to our local economy.

Instead of stimulus, do nothing – seriously | csmonitor.com