Faces Are Familiar in Evergreen Race

By Howard Buck, The Columbian, Vancouver, Wash.

Oct. 16–It’s a time of transition for Evergreen Public Schools, the state’s fifth-largest public school system.

Clark County’s explosive population growth, easily the top challenge of the 1990s, has slowed. Several new school buildings, including Union High School, have helped free students and teachers from portable classrooms.

Still, many portables remain. Evergreen is weighing another large bond measure in 2008 to build a few more elementary and middle schools and to make repairs and upgrades on existing buildings. Leaders also propose a new health and biosciences academy where students can learn skills for medical professions now in high demand.

However, Evergreen’s chief new concern is to meet state and federal testing standards and lift more students to compete in a tough, global job market.

While student progress on reading and writing skills has been made, gains in math or science test results have proven more elusive. Evergreen does have more students than ever taking rigorous Advanced Placement courses and attempting exit AP exams that can earn early college credits. Success on either set of tests is believed to indicate a higher likelihood of success in college.

Evergreen’s tricky objective is to increase its focus on rigor for college-bound students while it maintains the arts and vocational programs that are attractive or critical for many families.

For 12 years, one school board constant has been Joan Skelton, now seeking a fourth term.

Her challenger is familiar with the board, too. Since 2004, Mark Rossmiller has filed three sex discrimination grievances with the district. He sought more coaches and team spots for female tennis players, better softball facilities and better access for female gymnasts. He argued that Evergreen must encourage equal turnout for athletics by girls and boys, by improving interest surveys and sports options.

While many of his points were rejected by state adjudicators, Evergreen has upgraded softball facilities and added new girls sports since his grievances were filed.

Evergreen School Board: Position 2

Mark Rossmiller

Age: 48.

Occupation: Software developer and contractor.

Education: Master’s degree in engineering management, Washington State University Vancouver; bachelor’s in computer science, Portland State University.

Money raised: $300 in cash and in-kind contributions, as of Sept. 17

Web site: members.toast.net/mrossmiller .

Joan Skelton

Age: 57

Occupation: Stay-at-home mother with five (grown) daughters, 13 grandchildren.

Education: High school in California

Money raised: $259.31 in cash and in-kind contributions, as of Oct. 5

Web site: joanskelton.com .

Why are you running?

Rossmiller: “If we wish our students to aspire to learning and educational success, to achieve college opportunities, then we need to walk the walk by putting highly educated and qualified people directing and staffing our public schools.”

Skelton: “I still want to be an advocate for students. As long as I’m making contributions and I can see the results, I still want to be on the school board. I’ve helped create a team approach on the board; we have a role to play, to represent the community and not blindly approve everything the superintendent wants.”

What do you see as the biggest issues?

Rossmiller: “We can not afford to take significant steps backwards in recent WASL results when we are trying to achieve the next year’s state and federal standards. To be world-competitive, we must change our public school paradigm that math courses such as advanced algebra, trigonometry and pre-calculus are classified as advanced subjects.”

Skelton: “We need an increase in math and science education … but not at the cost of balance (arts-music) or the Skills Center. We need to get this health and biosciences center done. Taking hard looks at how we use time now, and how to get deeper experience for kids without doing away with areas we believe are still necessary.”

Is Evergreen reaching a world-class standard, as it pledges?

Rossmiller: “Not by world-competitive education standards. Kids thrive on competition. Our district needs more programs that provide competitive opportunities in academics, much the same as in other activities.”

Skelton: “Our results are much like other districts like us. We agree that we need to add more math and science, so we need to keep developing staff so they can help. We’re working on that. We’re increasing the numbers of kids taking Advanced Placement classes and tests … we’re really pushing hard to keep increasing those numbers.”

Is the district responsive to the community?

Rossmiller: “There has been an ongoing problem with rich, honest and open communication with the administration. Many other districts provide thorough online access to budgets, board resolutions, school improvement plans and even e-mail access to each board member.”

Skelton: “When I was first on the board, there was no public say on border changes, no meetings. Now it’s really a highly visible process, and it’s working. We’re doing an awful lot of work on communication. “

—–

To see more of The Columbian, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.columbian.com.

Copyright (c) 2007, The Columbian, Vancouver, Wash.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.