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CHALLENGER - Carl Herke
DISTRICT RESIDENT: 15 years
EDUCATION: AAS Computer Technology - Monroe Community College; BS Information Technology - minor in applied communications, Rochester Institute of Technology
PROFESSION: Manager for national software support call center - Paychex, Inc.
YEARS ON THE BOARD: New candidate
Why are you running for the school board and what is your unique contribution to the Victor School District?
I'm running for the school board because over time I have come to the realization that true quality of life comes when we give back of the unique gifts we've been given. I have a deep desire to be a servant to my community and am grateful for this opportunity. I believe my most unique contribution to the school district is my commitment to ask questions and not simply accept things at face value. I believe I will be a voice of reason on behalf of the people of Victor.
How would you characterize the budget challenge faced by VCS currently and what is your outlook for 2010-2013?
Although we have built a strong and growing district over time, I believe our greatest challenge at VCS is the financial woes of New York State. We cannot allow ourselves to live in denial thinking that the state will suddenly recover anytime soon and come to our rescue. Instead, we must grow into a mindset of becoming increasingly self-reliant and good stewards of every dollar the Victor community entrusts to the education of our youth.
What do you see as the greatest strength of Victor Central Schools?
There are many to consider, but I believe our families are our greatest strength. They are the basis and foundation for every child's sense of worth and confidence, they are the support, discipline and examples for relationships, compassion and caring, and they are the true and best guide toward maturing into adults that honor values, principles and moral absolutes.
What do you see as the area most in need of improvement?
More education, questioning, challenging, and grass roots campaigns against state mandates that treat students and schools across the state with a "one-size-fits-all mentality.” For too long, we've been lulled into forgetting that this nation was founded on the principal of elected representatives being the servants of "We the People". In general, state mandates, especially the unfunded variety, wreak of arrogance and assert that it is the people who are servants to the government, boldly citing that government knows better than the people what is in their best interest. Our nation's founding father's would not recognize the shambles we've allowed our system of representative government to become. I have every hope and belief that we can re-learn and re-institute the virtue, values and principles of government as they were truly designed of the people, by the people and for the people.
CHALLENGER - Carl Herke
DISTRICT RESIDENT: 15 years
EDUCATION: AAS Computer Technology - Monroe Community College; BS Information Technology - minor in applied communications, Rochester Institute of Technology
PROFESSION: Manager for national software support call center - Paychex, Inc.
YEARS ON THE BOARD: New candidate
Why are you running for the school board and what is your unique contribution to the Victor School District?
I'm running for the school board because over time I have come to the realization that true quality of life comes when we give back of the unique gifts we've been given. I have a deep desire to be a servant to my community and am grateful for this opportunity. I believe my most unique contribution to the school district is my commitment to ask questions and not simply accept things at face value. I believe I will be a voice of reason on behalf of the people of Victor.
How would you characterize the budget challenge faced by VCS currently and what is your outlook for 2010-2013?
Although we have built a strong and growing district over time, I believe our greatest challenge at VCS is the financial woes of New York State. We cannot allow ourselves to live in denial thinking that the state will suddenly recover anytime soon and come to our rescue. Instead, we must grow into a mindset of becoming increasingly self-reliant and good stewards of every dollar the Victor community entrusts to the education of our youth.
What do you see as the greatest strength of Victor Central Schools?
There are many to consider, but I believe our families are our greatest strength. They are the basis and foundation for every child's sense of worth and confidence, they are the support, discipline and examples for relationships, compassion and caring, and they are the true and best guide toward maturing into adults that honor values, principles and moral absolutes.
What do you see as the area most in need of improvement?
More education, questioning, challenging, and grass roots campaigns against state mandates that treat students and schools across the state with a "one-size-fits-all mentality.” For too long, we've been lulled into forgetting that this nation was founded on the principal of elected representatives being the servants of "We the People". In general, state mandates, especially the unfunded variety, wreak of arrogance and assert that it is the people who are servants to the government, boldly citing that government knows better than the people what is in their best interest. Our nation's founding father's would not recognize the shambles we've allowed our system of representative government to become. I have every hope and belief that we can re-learn and re-institute the virtue, values and principles of government as they were truly designed of the people, by the people and for the people.
If you could accomplish one thing in your tenure on the Board of Education, what would it be and why?
I'd like to help increase the community's identification and participation in all aspects of the operation of the School district. This is important to me as I see the community as an extension of our families in molding each new generation. I feel the lives of all would truly be more enriched and abundant were we to make the time to focus again on community, our common interests and goals, and giving back of our time and talents.
How would you propose dealing with the increased number of special needs children in the district?
At this time I'm not clear on what the "saturation" point would be for number of special needs children our district could support. However, once that threshold is met, I feel we are in the territory where programs across the spectrum may need to be equally trimmed in order to create sufficient resources for every Victor resident student to receive an equal opportunity for education. If we were simply to raise taxes to cover this expense, then we would be unfairly discriminating against those students, their families, and the rest of the community who do not require the extra expense of the special needs programs.
