Meet the Appo. School Board candidates
running for the two-year seat (term through 2010)

Norman Abrams
            Where do you live in the district? Townsend
            Education: Graduated John Dickinson High School 1982 and Goldey Beacom College 1984.
            Career: Utility – electric transmission system operator
            Community Involvement/activities: PTA President Townsend Elementary School last eight years.
            Family: Married, three children.
            How many children do you have enrolled in Appoquinimink School District and what schools do they attend?
All three. One child at Everett Meredith Middle School and two at Townsend Elementary School.
            Why do you want to be on the Appoquinimink School Board? Being involved within the school district these last eight years, I see daily what the needs are of students, parents and educators. It is this experience that I want to bring to the school board. 
            What is an area you would like to improve and how would you plan to do so? Currently, districts can only build new schools for the current enrollment and are unable to use projected numbers. Eventually when our schools are up and running they are already full to capacity and we need to start a new one. I would work with the state to change how the buildings of new schools are funded.
            With projected reductions in state funding for next year, how would you address this regarding programs in the district? There are many different ways to balance a budget. The easiest solution is not always the best solution. There are always ways to reduce spending. Everything goes under the microscope. All programs come with positives and negatives and should be reviewed annually for accountability. Teacher and staff layoffs should not be part of the solution.  You first look at how you can reduce your energy bills, fuel expenses, program costs and how as a district things get accomplished. Our district is exploding with growth. More students are coming each year. Not only must attention be paid to the bottom line of today, but the bottom line 10 years from now. Decisions made today will have an impact in the future.
            What do you want the district to be like in two years when your term is completed? In two years, I would like to see the district continue to be financially sound, positive growth, establishment of new schools and schools fully staffed to handle the growing demand and needs of our students.

Bill Detwiler
            How long have you lived in the Appoquinimink School District? Since December 2006
            Where do you live in the district? We are building a house at 445 Taylors Bridge Road, Townsend. We currently live in a townhouse in the Odessa National Community            
            Education: I grew up in Lewes and attended Cape Henlopen High School. Bachelor of Science landscape architecture, Penn State University, 1988; Bachelor of Science civil engineering, University of South Florida, 1997; Master Civil Engineering, University of South Florida, 2001
            Career: Project Manager with RK&K Engineering,Consulting Engineers in the transportation infrastructure industry. I am a structural engineer and my focus is design and construction of bridges and highway structures. I also teach Structural Steel Design at DelTech Community College in Stanton.
            Community Involvement/activities: I coach two soccer teams in the MOT Soccer Club.  I have coached since moving to the area.
            Family: My wife Lisa and I have been married for 20 years. We have a son, Connor and a daughter, Julia.
            How many children do you have enrolled in Appoquinimink School District and what schools do they attend? Connor, 13, sixth grade at Everett Meredith Middle School; Julia, 9, Townsend Elementary School
            Why do you want to be on the Appoquinimink School Board? To help prepare the future leaders of our community.
            What is an area you would like to improve and how would you plan to do so? Stop teaching to the test!!! Utilize a stepwise approach by building on top of concepts. Not every student wants to continue on to college, and the curriculum should reflect the needs of a range of potential careers in industry, manufacturing, finance, engineering and sciences.
            We are in a global economy and need to prepare our future leaders to succeed. A second language is a must, and should be introduced/required to master, especially at an early age when it is easier.
            Teacher incentives should be reflected in higher salaries, it’s sad that a deli manager makes more than someone who is preparing our future leaders.
            With projected reductions in state funding for next year, how would you address this regarding programs in the district? Obviously, additional funding sources need to be identified, developers and the impact they have on the area should be considered. Also identify cost savings alternatives without impacting the overall experiences students need to excel.
            What do you want the district to be like in two years when your term is completed? A district that is a leader in utilizing cutting edge technology to prepare our future leaders. One that develops student who excel in any endeavor they choose to pursue.

Katharyn ‘Kate’ Forsten
            How long have you lived in the Appoquinimink School District?  7 1/2 years
            Where do you live in the district? Levels Road, Middletown 
            Education: Bachelor of Science in computer science and Bachlor of Arts in history from the University of Delaware.
            Career: Former systems administration staff for the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Delaware; currently primary caregiver to mother who is legally blind.
            Community Involvement/activities: Appoquinimink School District’s Annual Spring Student Art Show, the Ministry of Caring, serving food to the homeless and poor.
            Family: Married, no children (yet).
            How many children do you have enrolled in Appoquinimink School District and what schools do they attend?  None (yet)
            Why do you want to be on the Appoquinimink School Board?  My involvement with the school district through the Appoquinimink Student Art Show has shown me how students and the school district can benefit from greater community and vice versa. I also believe that Appoquinimink benefits from a variety of viewpoints and I offer a perspective different from other Board members.                    
                What is an area you would like to improve and how would you plan to do so? My involvement with the Appoqunimink Student Art Show has shown how important it is for the community and for businesses to give back to the schools. I would like to foster more projects and events involving the community and the schools as a way to enrich the entire community. I also want to give parents more control of their child’s education by offering more choices and more opportunities.
            With projected reductions in state funding for next year, how would you address this regarding programs in the district? While I hope that reductions in spending will not have to be made, I would work hard to make sure no cuts are made to teachers and spending for the classroom. Students come first and foremost. If cuts need to be made, they should be made in administrative and back office areas. The school district should also consider closing schools after the end of the regular school day at least some days of the week (currently school buildings are left up and running five nights a week for community events and meetings, etc.) to save on energy costs.
            What do you want the district to be like in two years when your term is completed? I hope to see more interaction between the schools and the community.  I also hope to see parents and students provided with more options and choices. The school district is one of the fastest growing in the state and, as we grow, we need to provide more variety and even more choices to students and parents.

Julie D. Johnson    
        How long have you lived in the district? I have lived in the district for 12 years, since 1996.
            Education: Bachelor of Science in general education with emphasis in early childhood education and human resource management training and development, Master of Special Education.
            Career: Program administrator for Tender Loving Kare Child Care and Learning Centers; independent contractor for developing and training courses in early care and education; technical assistant for Delaware Stars Quality Rating and Improvement System
            Community Involvement: Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens member and Early Childhood Workgroup; Delaware Educational Support System Partnership Council; Early Learning Foundations Development Advisory Group; Delaware Stars Design Workgroup; Hodgson Vo-Tech Senior Project Committee and program advisory committee; 2003-2006 Delaware School for the Deaf Site Council; Relationships Empowering Learning & Affirming Teaching Excellence Advisory Committee; Delaware Family Support Network.
            I am also the 2004 recipient of the Roxanne Benatti award for Professional Excellence, which is given out in recognition of the outstanding contributions and commitment to children in Delaware.
            Family: I am married with three children.
            How many children do you have enrolled in Appoquinimink School District and what schools do they attend? I have one daughter who is graduating from Middletown High School this year and one daughter who will attend Appoquinimink High School next year.
            Why do you want to be on the Appoquinimink School Board? My background and passion has always been in education. I have a great concern for the overall quality of our schools. We need to work to ensure that all children have the opportunity to be successful in school and not just get by. It is important to have someone with the background and experience in education on the board when making decisions that will affect every child. Adding someone to the board that has this expertise, has attended workshops and meetings presented by the Department of Education regarding new regulations, initiatives, reporting procedures, planning, etc., will provide for a different accountability regarding what happens in the district. As a person who has taught in classrooms, serves as an administrator, develops and implements policies and as a parent I would bring a unique perspective to the board. My dedication to this position is evident. I have attended every Board of Education meeting for the past two years and know what issues and discussions have been addressed. When I became aware that a new person would be on the board because of a vacated seat I felt it was very important to get someone on the board who has the background in education and experience to fill that seat. Now is the time to do just that.
            What is an area you would like to improve and how would you plan to do so? There are many decisions that are made in which we do not have all of the information that the board has when making the decisions. However, to make improvements overall it requires knowledge about the overall improvement process. Many improvement initiatives focused on only one or two specific areas may seem like a good idea but an understanding of the whole process is imperative in order to maintain lasting quality improvements. If we only identify a few specific areas without looking at how changes in one specific area will affect other areas as part of an overall improvement plan, the benefits may only be short term and/or cost more with less impact. For example, class size is always a big issue and a difficult one to deal with, especially in a growing district. It is important when projecting and planning for new schools that we understand how the decisions that are made today will impact class sizes now and in the future. Where we plan to build schools, the feeder patterns, the availability of extended care programs, etc., have a huge impact on what choices a family has. These factors directly impact the request for the choice program, which in turn impacts the availability of choice as well as how many students are in a school and in the classroom. There are also impacts from how school construction is funded which create challenges as well. However, if we invest in trying to reduce class sizes we will see a reduction in the need for remedial programs, interventions, behavior issues,  quality teaching practices, etc., which over the long term will save money. Although it can’t always be avoided, we want to minimize requiring children to change schools from the change of feeder patterns and denying choice requests for a school they had previously been attending. Another example would be in looking at how we can improve early intervention and how it is provided in the district. It may be a little challenging in the beginning to implement a new way of providing services that will improve what children receive, but if we provide services that are of high quality we can be more effective. Although it requires an investment now, it will pay off in the future because there may be less interventions needed in the future and the child may be more successful. A true quality improvement system is one that is cyclical with a clear identification of areas of improvement, a plan of action, evaluation, and repeating the cycle over and over again.
            With projected reductions in state funding for next year, how would you address this regarding programs in the district? As a small business owner I certainly understand budget constraints. It is important to prioritize the needs within the district as well as the state. We need to be sure not to make cuts in areas that directly impact the quality of programs even if it may save money in the short term it will only cost us more in the future. We must do everything we can to avoid laying off teachers and assistants. Layoffs of teachers and staff will only decrease the quality of the education the children are receiving by increasing class sizes and minimizing the already limited individual time teachers and assistants get with the students. Spending wisely by prioritizing expenses and outlining what are needs and what are wants will need to be carefully reviewed and only then can decisions be made.
            What do you want the district to be like in two years when your term is completed? My hope is that at the end of the two-year term, the families in this district will begin to see some positive things happening and will choose to re-elect me to a five year term. I would also like to see that we do not lose sight of the fact that education is an investment in our children and one well worth the cost, commitment and dedication to provide. I would also hope that the district’s position would reflect that this applies to all children and illustrate this in the decisions that are made and the services that are provided for all children beginning at an early age. Every child has a right to a high quality education that will give him/her the tools necessary to pursue whatever he/she may desire. If we, as a school district, pledge that we want to provide the best possible education for all children, then I want to make sure that we are in fact doing just that.

David R. Thomas
            How long have you lived in the Appoquinimink School District? 25 years
            Where do you live in the district? Commodore Estates
            Education: Graduated from William Penn High School                        Career: Delmarva Power Company, electric serviceman
            Community Involvement/activities: Served on the Appoquinimink School Board for 10 years. While on the board I served on referendum committees, represented the district on the Delaware School Board Association and chaired the New Castle County Combined Boards. Along with other parents; revived Cub Scout Pack 351 in Townsend, where I served as the Webelos leader and assistant cub master. After Cub Scouts, I moved on to Boy Scout Troop 204 in Odessa as an assistant scout master. As a family, we worked on fundraisers for St. Joseph Church.
            Family: Wife, Sharon, married 37 years and three children, David, Stephen and Erin.
            How many children do you have enrolled in Appoquinimink School District and what schools do they attend? All three of our children attended schools in the district and all three children graduated from Middletown High School.
            Why do you want to be on the Appoquinimink School Board? Serving on the board for 10 years was a gratifying experience. I enjoyed working with the district personnel, board members and the community to help make Appoquinimink one of the best districts in the state. I have a chance to continue that experience and would like the opportunity to do so. 
            What is an area you would like to improve and how would you plan to do so? The challenges facing the district continue to be growth, high educational standards, new construction and fiscal stability. As a board, we would need to continue to closely monitor the budgets, areas of growth, work with the schools to ensure that the educational standards are met. The board must continue to hire highly qualified personnel to carry out these objectives.
            With projected reductions in state funding for next year, how would you address this regarding programs in the district? Along with the board, the administration, school personnel and the community, we would have to collaboratively see where funds could be reduced or where money could be saved.
            What do you want the district to be like in two years when your term is completed? I would like to see a continuance of strong community involvement in the district. This is important because of the rapid growth that the district is facing and the challenges it presents.