Centralia School Board Candidates: Position 5

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Patricia Dolezal

By Amy Nile

anile@chronline.com

See Patricia Dolezal's Interview with Chronicle Staff Here

See Patricia Dolezal's Interview with Chronicle Staff Here

Patricia Dolezal is running for a fifth term on the Centralia School Board against challengers Carol Fuller, a substitute teacher, and Neal Kirby, a retired Centralia principal.

Dolezal, a physical therapist who has held the post for the last 15 years, said the most important issues currently facing Centralia schools are meeting academic achievement standards, ensuring the district’s financial security and upgrading the facilities.

The community has not supported a construction bond or capital projects levy to upgrade school facilities since she has held the board position. 

“Our buildings are in need of modernization,” Dolezal said. 

Jefferson-Lincoln needs more space, Fords Prairie requires increased safety at the busy intersection at Harrison Avenue and Galvin Road near the school, Washington floods and the high school should have better security measures in place for individuals accessing the campus, she said.

“There are so many portables in the district, you could make another school,” she said.

None of the schools, Dolezal said, can meet current technology demands.

Dolezal said she would like to improve community involvement and support, particularly in upgrading school buildings, if elected to another term.

In addition to working on the board, being a parent of three children who have graduated from Centralia and volunteering, Dolezal said, she has provided physical therapy to students in Twin Cities schools, which has afforded her experience with all grade levels.

“So I see the district through a lot of different eyes,” she said. “I’m aware of what’s going on in the district and that helps to know how to support the school system.

Under the current leadership, six Centralia schools received “C” or “D” ratings from the Washington Policy Center, which bases the letter grades on the State Board of Education's Achievement Index for the 2011-12 school year. 

Because education is a fluctuating area, Dolezal said, she finds it interesting that labels are placed on schools. The Centralia schools that have low rankings, she said, have received accolades for past achievements.

The board has adopted a new reading program that will help address low student achievement, she said. Additionally, Dolezal said, she supports professional learning communities, which allow teachers an opportunity to review where they are having difficulties and share what is working. 

Though the district has increased the number of early release days in recent years, Dolezal said, teachers require the time without students for professional development and to work in learning communities.

“Our students are getting their 180 days of instruction,” she said. “So I don’t have a problem with early release days.”

For funding decisions, Dolezal said, she likes using the rate and rank process, in which teachers, administrators and school board members prioritize where to spend money.

The board has already restored all-day kindergarten and the gifted program. It has increased vocational education, enhanced the Cispus program and restored summer school, Dolezal noted.

“We as a district did a good job of allocating where the funds are going,” she said.

In the future, Dolezal aims to enhance after-school programs and restore those that were cut due to the budget. Additionally, she said, she would like to reduce class size, increase vocational education and provide more enhancements to the Cispus program.

The current administration, including Superintendent Steve Bodnar, Dolezal said, is doing a good job.

“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t supportive of the superintendent, the staff and the district as a whole,” she said. “That’s part of an expectation of a board member. It doesn’t mean you agree but it means you’re supportive.”

About Patricia Dolezal

Age: 53

Education: Bachelor’s degree in physical therapy and a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Pacific University, Forest Grove, Ore., 1982.

Occupation: Physical therapist at Providence Centralia Hospital, 30 years

Community Activities: Centralia College Foundation, Centralia Lions Club, Centralia Rotary Club, food drives, Health and Wellness Fair, sews costumes for Southwest Washington Dance Center productions

Family: husband, Dr. Joe Dolezal; daughters Sarah and Laura; son Tony (all CHS graduates)

Number of Years in Centralia: 31

 

Carol Fuller

By Amy Nile

anile@chronline.com

See Carol Fuller's Interview with Chronicle Staff Here

See Carol Fuller's Interview with Chronicle Staff Here

Carol Fuller is facing incumbent Patricia Dolezal and retired principal Neal Kirby in the race for Centralia School Board.

“I have a sincere interest in public education,” Fuller, a substitute teacher of 15 years, said. “I am very interested and concerned about the quality of teaching in the Centralia School District.”

The most critical issue facing the district today, the Centralia resident of more than 40 years said, is ensuring students have access to first-rate teachers in the classroom.

“There is no more important thing than that and that’s the bottom line,” Fuller said.

If elected, the mother of eight said, she hopes to increase parental involvement in the school system.

“Education does not begin and end at the bus stop,” said Fuller, who once accompanied her son to high school to monitor his studies.

If the district implemented parent intervention classes, she said, it could save more time and money than all of the current remedial programs.

Additionally, Fuller said, she would aim to increase challenging opportunities for high achieving students, especially in mathematics.

Fuller, who holds a teaching certificate from the University of Washington, said as a board member, she would observe classrooms to see instructional strategies and get better idea of what the district needs to improve.

“I would like to see that the ho hum and the status quo as far as teachers are concerned is gone,” she said.

When teachers retire, Fuller said, she would push for hiring new instructors that demonstrate  “fired up and ready to go” attitudes.

Fuller said she would bring experience in the classroom, including the oversight of curriculum to the board.

“That information is invaluable,” she said. “I don’t know how you can serve as a board member without having some finger in the education pie.”



Fuller supports spending money on classroom materials, new curriculum and increasing the number of teachers, which would result in smaller class sizes. 

Professional development, she said, should happen outside of school time. If elected, she said, she would like to return the district’s partial school days to a full schedule.

“We do a disservice to our students when we release them early,” she said. “They need the full day of instruction.”

Fuller said she would not support a shortened school year because students lose a lot during the summer already.

Though she is not yet as familiar with the budget or the inner workings of the district office as she would like, Fuller said, she would ensure taxpayers’ money is being well-spent on each individual item.

“The administration and the superintendent are appendages to the system,” she said. “What goes on inside the classroom is the most important thing that happens.”

If the administration shows support of innovation and freedom in the classroom, Fuller said, as a board member, she would respect their positions.

Though she does not have previous elected experience, Fuller said, she is willing to listen, learn and do what’s best for the district’s children.

About Carol Fuller

Age:  63

Education: Bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate, University of Washington

Occupation:  Centralia School District substitute teacher 

Community Activities:  community cleanup projects, Eagle Scouts, Cub Scouts den leader, several school district committees 

Family:  husband, Willy;  eight children, all graduates of CHS

Number of years in Centralia:  40 and time as a youth

 

Neal Kirby

By Amy Nile

anile@chronline.com

See Neal Kirby's Interview with Chronicle Staff Here

See Neal Kirby's Interview with Chronicle Staff Here

Retired principal and educator Neal Kirby is facing incumbent Patricia Dolezal and substitute teacher Carol Fuller in the primary race for Centralia School Board.

The recently retired 34-year education veteran said he is running because he has received considerable recognition for his successful work and would like to offer his experience as a board member.

“My heart and my soul has been working with kids,” said Kirby, who spent the last 14 years as principal at Edison Elementary, earning an “exemplary” or “very good” rating on the state achievement index every year since 2007.

If elected, Kirby said, he would implement the programs that led to Edison’s success and develop new ways to improve districtwide.

The district’s six other schools earlier this year received “C” or “D” ratings from the Washington Policy Center, which based the letter grades on the State Board of Education's Achievement Index for the 2011-12 school year. 

“In light of our schools’ overall poor performance, the board needs to take more of a lead in directing the schools,” Kirby said. “I have some clear steps that we can do to improve the schools.”

With his experience selecting quality staff, leading teams and implementing school programs, Kirby said, he will develop a specific plan to enhance the quality of education beyond just making policy decisions as a board member.

“I would be an activist school board member,” he said.

Students not meeting standards should receive additional instruction, he said, noting that Edison has provided extra time for struggling children without additional cost for years, which could be done districtwide.

“But first we need a superintendent with a vision and the wherewithal to implement it,” he said. “We need high expectations in what is to be done and the superintendent should be setting those standards.”

Kirby points to a lack of leadership from the district office, and specifically Superintendent Steve Bodnar, for the low rankings. 

“If the superintendent had a plan over the last five years, it clearly didn’t work,” he said. 

“And the new strategic plan is a vacuous statement that has no clear action steps detailing what we’re going to be doing in the future “

Kirby said the district needs new leadership that has high expectations and can implement coherent, consistent programs across the district.

“Steve Bodnar, I don’t believe has the capacity to set high expectations and kick people in the butt to get there, especially among the administrators,” Kirby said. “He worries way too much about what people will think of him.”

Kirby said the district administration needs to cut through the emotionalism that comes with new ideas and the territorialism that comes with the oversight of buildings to find what is best for the educational needs of children.

If elected, Kirby said, he would push for more extensive after-school programs, help for struggling students and assistance for English language learners as quickly as possible. Additionally, he said, he would aim for better strategies to address the district’s high dropout rate. The state provides little funding for sports programs, he said, which can extend physical fitness and keep students committed to school.

Kirby supports smaller class sizes, increasing the number of educational assistants and extending the school day for students needing more time to learn.

Because the district already has 14 days for teacher training, Kirby said, he would not support increasing that time.

“Taking away learning time from students to expand on training would be damaging to the educational program,” he said. “Kids need more time not less time in the instructional classrooms.”

As a board member, he said, he would ensure each building had comparable resources and access to funding.

“Currently, the building budgets vary a great deal and depending on where your child goes to school they could have more technology, more books, more supplies and more in-services for their teachers than down the road,” he said. “A kid’s education should not be dependent on where they attend school.”

Kirby said he would distribute funds for building budgets equally, according to the number of students served.

“The Centralia schools have tremendous potential. We have a lot of quality people. We need to figure out how to get everybody working together as a team in moving forward for the benefit of the kids in the Centralia School District.”

About Neal Kirby

Age:  61

Education:  master’s degree in school administration, University of Washington, 1987; bachelor’s degree in psychology, University of Washington, 1977

Occupation:  retired educator and administrator, Edison Elementary principal, 14 years; Centralia Middle School, eight years

Community Activities: School Levy Committee, United Way Distribution Board, Lewis County Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Board, Lewis County Sales Tax Advisory Board, Affordable Housing Network, Providence Hospital’s Paint the Town project,  Sheriff’s Meth Task Force

Family:  two children (both Centralia High School graduates)

Number of Years in Centralia:  22