Having worked in the business field, Alex Ryabin hopes to secure a place on the School Board as a new Democratic member to change the business-like atmosphere he feels pervades School Board decision-making. The following are Ryabin’s responses to six interview questions asked of each incumbent Republican candidate and newcomer Democratic candidate who expressed a willingness to participate.
Q: Why do you believe it is important to serve on the School Board?
A: Public education for our children is the greatest investment we make as a community. We all have a role to play to ensure the quality of the education is nothing less than excellent. Over the years I’ve been looking for an opportunity to extend my involvement and service within our community. For a parent and a tax payer, there is no other role that would provide a more direct benefit to both our community and our children’s education.
Q: What are your goals for the upcoming term?
A: My fellow 1st STEP candidates and I all share similar goals:
- Focus on our children’s education and safety as a top priority-as part of every single decision made.
- Stop wasting taxpayer money on consultants, poorly managed construction contracts and frivolous perks for the senior administrative staff.
- Stop indiscriminate program and spending cuts. Develop creative and innovative solutions to manage costs and make what we have work.
- Introduce transparency into school board decision making process. Stop closed door executive sessions and 9-0 votes without any deliberation.
- Re-engage the taxpayers in the North Penn School District to participate in decisions affecting education and their tax burden.
- Eliminate bullying and intimidation across the School District. Lead by example in treating all stakeholders – students, parents, teachers, and taxpayers – with respect as everyone needs to work towards a common goal of providing a great education.
Q: How do you plan to get these goals accomplished?
A: The North Penn School District needs to be run as a school district with our children’s education as its main product – not a corporation. Our current school board seems to have forgotten that along the way resulting in many problems we’re dealing with today: severe budget issues, growing class sizes, program cuts, a transportation nightmare, and the list goes on…
Every decision made and every dollar spent needs to be evaluated for its value towards the primary goal – education. Spending tens of millions of dollars on immense construction projects doesn’t provide better education – just bigger debt. Making drastic bus route changes for pure financial reasons without fully understanding feasibility and impact doesn’t contribute to education. In fact, it detracts from it as hundreds are arriving late and missing class time.
My goal would be to usher in a new era of community involvement where the new school board listens, solicits input, discusses, deliberates, and makes educated decisions. The new school board will also do so in the open without closed door meetings.
Q: What experience qualifies you to hold this position?
A: I have a personal passion for public education. I attended the Philadelphia Public School System and had the good fortune to benefit from talented and dedicated teachers. The high quality of education I received opened the doors to an Ivy League university. I fully appreciate that my public education is largely responsible for the success I enjoy today.
Over more than twenty years, I have worked for both non-profit organizations and companies of various sizes. I have experience in technology, business process, finance, and governance. Through personal experience with results of both good and bad decision making, I have developed a systematic approach to decision making enabling me to consider multiple perspectives and outcomes.
Q: How would you encourage local citizens to vote in this election?
A: The biggest motivator in any election is the desire to resolve current problems and understanding that the problems affect all. Since the beginning of the year, my fellow candidates and I have been reaching out to the entire North Penn community showing how our current school board’s decisions impact education…and how impact to education affects all. Students need a high quality education to succeed. Parents desire a high quality education because they want nothing but the best for their children’s future. And all taxpayers desire a great performing school district as that keeps our property values high.
Q: Is there any final statement regarding your candidacy you would like to make?
A: It’s time to stop running the North Penn School District as a business, treating our children as a product and conducting “business” behind closed doors. Our children are our future. We need to work as a community to improve our schools, ensure our children’s safety and provide excellence in education to every student. We need to do so in public forums and open discussions where students, parents and taxpayers are participating-not just observing. We need fresh new ideas. We need new leadership.