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Age
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Demographics / Personal Info )
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Birth date: August 7, 1957 |
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Family
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Demographics / Personal Info )
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Kathy International Language Associate at Manchester Park
Hallmark Marketing
Graduate of William Jewell College
Emily: 2007 graduate of The King’s College –Major in PPE -- NYC, NY (Empire State Building)
-2004 graduate of Olathe Northwest (first class at ONW)
-Attended ON, SFT, PT, ML in Olathe
-Attended Sunflower and Broken Arrow in Shawnee Mission district
entry
Ethan: 2008 Baylor University –1st class for Extended Learning Groups with focus on Entrepreneurship
Invited to be Fellows and Individual self study programs as a freshman
2007 graduate of ONW
Attended PT, SFT, ML in Olathe
Attended Sunflower in Shawnee Mission district
Elayna: Junior at ONW
Attended PT, ML in Olathe
All Metro first team gymnastic
Club gymnastics at Elite
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Occupation/place of employment
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Demographics / Personal Info )
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Currently employed at UMB as in Hardware Operating Systems Support
Prior employment at:
Yellow Freight
Reed Software, Inc
Hallmark Cards
Own & operate farm with brother in SE Kansas
E-mail: ArlynBriggs@yahoo.com
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Education
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Demographics / Personal Info )
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Graduate of Pittsburg State University (attended 2 years)
BS in computer science and mathematics
Number of hours in economics and history
Allen County Community Jr. College (3 semesters)
Crest High School
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Political experience
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Demographics / Personal Info )
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Ran for at-large city council position in 2005
Opponent outspent me 19:1 but I still received 30+ percent of vote.
Ran for Olathe school board in 2005
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Civic involvement
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Demographics / Personal Info )
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Graduate of Olathe Civic Academy
Graduate of Citizen Education Academy (Olathe)
2007 Bond Task Force for Olathe school district
Suggested putting Board meetings on the internet for increased viewing
Suggested use of technology to provide more data that is public information
Working with Deans at Baylor to change policies relating to housing, student retention, admissions standards and absenteeism
Working with Ed Colson (ONW band director) to fund ONW Band Foundation
Will work with other areas to promote the idea of Foundational giving by private
individuals and/or companies thus reducing need for school funding i
Numerous charitable projects locally and foreign
Served on multiple board of directors and representative for organizations
Past vice chair of deacon board and deacon rep for staff relations
Reported corruption of a VP in a major local company relating to kickbacks
resulting in VP resigning to pursue other interests
Investigated and reported plagiarism which lead to resignation of a pastor
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Number of years you have been a resident of the city
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Demographics / Personal Info )
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12 years |
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Would you support an increase in the LOB (Local Option Budget) to enable the district to increase staff salaries?
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uncategorized )
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Yes, to a limit. There has to be a limit on the LOB as well or it will get out of control. While some residents will not feel the financial pinch of higher taxes, others will suffer as a result of the higher taxes. The best method is to hold elected officials accountable for the spending that is done. It is far to easy taxes to pay for things rather than reigning in spending. The closer to the local level you can get control of things the better you are. |
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Do you believe that the cash balances of the school district are too low, about right, or too high?
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General )
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All three are correct. The reason is there are individual areas in the overall budget where there is excess money available but untouchable Excess money in one area can not be used in another area even though the need is there. I would prefer to see all the money from the budget made available for use by the board as it saw fit. This gives greater flexibility to manage the money. Hold the board accountable for how it is spent. |
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How do you feel about the district’s consideration of moving ninth grade students to the high school?
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uncategorized )
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I served on the 2007 Bond Task Force and opposed its passage for several reasons. (http://kansasfederalist.blogspot.com/2006/08/week-of-august-20-2006-placing.html) http://www.theolathenews.com/101/story/335852.html ) First, I do not think 9 grade students are ready to be in the same environment as 10, 11, and 12 grade students. This is from a social and physical viewpoint. Secondly, I’ve heard close to one half of the teachers oppose the idea. We should listen to our teachers and ask why. Thirdly, with the current economic outlook we should be very cautious about incurring new debt. Just because the bond passed does not mean it should used at this time. We would be better served to hold off and see what is going to happen in the near future regarding the economics. |
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What is your position on charter schools/vouchers that allow for public funds to be spent for private schools?
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uncategorized )
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First you must remember private individuals ARE ultimately responsible for paying ALL of the “public funds.” I’ve yet to find money coming from Mr. and Mrs. Public. Don’t be mislead by those who would say otherwise. I support charter schools and vouchers. It leads to competition between the public and non-public schools. Parents should have the right to choose. I find it interesting those who oppose that choice usually are the staunchest supporters of choice in other areas. The voucher should not be greater in value than what the public school receives for the same student. |
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What is the role of a Board member versus the role of the Board? What do you see as the major role of the board of education?
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uncategorized )
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A member is a part of the larger entity, the board. An individual board member has the responsibility to listen to his/her constituency. Having said that, the member needs to make decisions for the rest of the district and to a larger extent the entire state. This may sound strange but each decision has an impact other anther area within the district, state or national level. Sometimes we have to sacrifice for the good of a larger cause. |
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What do you see as the major priorities of the school district for the next five years?
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uncategorized )
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The very first priority now, five years or fifty years from now will be providing an education for the students. We should always keep that at the forefront of every decision. The second important issue will be how to fund that educational process. I believe it will take some creative thinking to continue with the ambitious goals we have set out but at the same time I see unprecedented opportunity. Efficiency will once again become the norm rather than the exception. The third key aspect will be the ability to provide for growth in the student population even in the midst of an economic downturn. |
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What changes, if any, would you recommend in the school finance formula?
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uncategorized )
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This is an example of thinking with the view of the larger audience I alluded to in a previous answer. While the state legislators and governor control the purse strings at the highest level there is much that can be done locally. For example the use of a foundation such as the ONW Bands would allow for funding of an area while getting a tax benefit. When this is done people WILL step up to support what they feel is important to them. I would suggest looking at taking any money from the government thus eliminating the mandates the government attaches to the money. It sounds scary, but remember where the money comes from anyway. The less government involvement there is the better. |
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Do you support recent actions by the Kansas Supreme Court to increase school funding?
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uncategorized )
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No. Anytime you get the courts involved in setting policy you have bypassed the legislative process. Counts are not to make law but rather enforce the interpretation of it. It will be argued that is what they did but most people will agree they created law. I prefer to keep the entire funding issues as close to home as possible. It is the responsibility of the board to be wise in expending funds as needed. The board should be held accountable by the district patronage and if they are found wanting they should be voted out of office. |
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Why do you want to serve on the Board of Education and what makes you especially qualified to do so?
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uncategorized )
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I believe in serving others. That has been a mainstay of my life as evidence by giving to local and foreign missions. I have helped many both in Kansas and the poorer areas of Kansas City. When you combine that with my ability to find and cut waste and my passion it makes for an excellent leader. I like to use the HIS philosophy. Honesty, Integrity and Servant heart to express who I am. You can have honesty but without integrity is serves no purpose. Likewise it is not about me it is about others first. I entered the race as I saw a need for change. If someone will carry my thoughts and views with the passion I have, I will let them so I can work on other issues within our community. |
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If the Olathe District Schools Board of Education is called upon to make significant budget cuts in the 2009 and 2010 budgets, what approach you would take? (For example, should cuts be across the board or should they be more strategically targeted? If the latter, please list the first 5 budget items or categories you would examine to reduce, prioritized from 1 to 5.)
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Education )
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I would target every area for efficiency improvements. That should have already been done and be an ongoing part of the process. There is always room for improvement. The best way to find those improvements it to reward individuals who find better ways of doing things. I would also be target specific areas with the first being at the administrative level. How many assistant principles does a building need? That doesn’t fly in the business world and it should be on the runway in the district either. Secondly, I would propose use of more 501C3 organizations within the district. People will give to those organizations they believe in and want to succeed. Look at the ONW band as a prime example. Thirdly, I know we like nice facilities but do they really teach students? I went to a much smaller and lower quality school as far as building goes. I did have outstanding teachers and parents who pushed me to achieve. Out of that district came some remarkable students who are now on the forefront of our society. Fourthly, I would target the use of transportation within the district. I believe we can run our own transportation cheaper than contracting for it. Finally, I would target the use of technology sharing with other districts to reduce the overall cost of technology. |
Our local school districts are facing the potential of cuts in previously proposed FY2010 funding increases due to the lack of revenue being generated, and projected to be generated, by the state. As a locally elected member of our school board, please explain your perspectives on the following issues:
i. Should statewide tax rates be increased?
ii. Should local tax levels (i.e. property taxes) be increased?
iii. Should the Legislature grant greater taxing authority to school boards to utilize the Local Option Budget?
iv. Should the local school district simply absorb the loss of revenue through spending cuts?
v. Other thoughts/ideas?
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uncategorized )
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i. Should statewide tax rates be increased? No. That is the lazy way out. We can’t keep raising taxes. We must spend what we have more wisely. See previous answer for just five examples.
ii. Should local tax levels (i.e. property taxes) be increased? Again no, for the same reason as previously stated.
iii. Should the Legislature grant greater taxing authority to school boards to utilize the Local Option Budget? This is an option but is really just another form of tax. We need to eliminate all waste prior to any tax increase. However if that is done I would support LOB but only to a limit. It can not be left unchecked. The division beteen the have and have-nots is growing wider. You can not tax the poor to their death. That is not morally responsible.
iv. Should the local school district simply absorb the loss of revenue through spending cuts? I think I answered this previously. We have to be wiser with the money we have.
v. Other thoughts/ideas? This will be a challenging year or two for the residents of Olathe as well as resident of Kansas and the United States. We will all have to sacrifice for the betterment of the larger population. Each decision has an impact on others. I would propose not going forward with the bond issues even though they passed. Now is not the time to increase the burden on the public. Let us wait until the economy turns around before going forward. There is enough questions about even needing to do the bonds without even mentioning the increased debt load on the residents. I have as of yet to hear a tax payer who thinks now is the time to bite off more debt.
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