On behalf of her candidacy for a position on the School Board, Tina Stoll said, “My husband and I have 3 sons that went through the NPSD from kindergarten through high school. Our oldest son, Pete, graduated from Columbia University this past year and our two younger sons , Andrew & Eric, attend Temple University. The education and experiences that they had at North Penn are what allowed them to get into the schools of their choice. I am grateful to North Penn for the education they received and would like to see the opportunities that were offered to my children, continue to be offered to other students coming up.
I volunteered at the schools while my sons were growing up, and in particular, I volunteered with the 12th Knight Football Booster Club at the high school. I was the treasurer for 2 years and the president for 5 years, and oversaw a period of tremendous growth and participation in the organization. During this time, I got to work with the coaching staff, hundreds of student-athletes (there are on average 120 players on the team every year), player’s parents, and the staff at the high school. My role with the 12th Knight has allowed me to gain hands on experience in working with students, teachers, and administrators, and to develop relationships with each that allow me to communicate with them. It is my intention to use the relationships that I have developed over the years to manage the issues that arise in our district, and deal with them in a manner that continues North Penn’s history of excellence. I believe that the role of School Board official requires a person who has personal ties to the district, and has spent their time generating the relationships critical to overseeing the business of the district.” Stoll runs with the Democratic candidates of the “1st S.T.E.P. for North Penn School District” campaign program as a 1983 graduate from North Penn High School and a 1986 graduate from Penn State University with a B.S. in Accounting. The following are Stoll’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: I think it is always important to serve the community, and be involved in whatever way you can. I grew up here in the NP School District, and my family and I have lived here in the district for over 20 years. North Penn has been a very important part of what makes living here in this community so great. I want to make sure that North Penn continues to be the best school district in PA and that people want to move here, to be a part of something special.
Q: What are your goals for the upcoming term?
A: Specifically my goal would be to get more people involved in the school board meetings and committee meetings. We have a district with over 40,000 taxpayers, 13 elementary schools, 3 junior highs, one very large high school and an alternative school, and yet most school board meetings are very sparsely attended. I believe that increased community participation and awareness will allow for more constructive dialogue that will benefit the district and its goal of providing the best education and experiences to our area’s youth.
Q: How do you plan to get these goals accomplished?
A: I would reach out to the Home & School Associations, the booster clubs, the Taxpayer Associations, the NP teachers union, the support staff, student governments, etc and encourage them to either attend the meetings or send a representative. With such a large school district, it would be difficult for school board directors to get into every school on a regular basis, so I think encouraging communication would help everyone to know what’s going on in a particular school, what concerns a certain group has. With improved communication between all parties, problems will be more effectively addressed, and the district leadership will be able to make more informed decisions on how to manage the schools.
Q: What experience qualifies you to hold this position?
A: I volunteered at the schools while my sons were growing up, and in particular, I volunteered with the 12th Knight Football Booster Club at the high school. I was the treasurer for 2 years and the president for 5 years, and oversaw a period of tremendous growth and participation in the organization. During this time, I got to work with the coaching staff, hundreds of student-athletes (there are on average 120 players on the team every year), players’ parents, and the staff at the high school. My role with the 12th Knight allowed me to gain hands on experience in working with students, teachers, and administrators, and to develop relationships with each of them. I believe that the role of School Board official requires a person who has personal ties to the district, and has spent his or her time generating the relationships critical to overseeing the business of the district.
Q: How would you encourage local citizens to vote in this election?
A: I believe that in order to encourage local citizens to vote, candidates such as myself must reach out to the community with a personal touch. Our methods will include speaking with the community at various public forums and events and communicating with people via social media, so that 1st S.T.E.P is easily accessible and that voters are made aware of the issues at hand in this election. I will encourage local citizens to vote 1st S.T.E.P for North Penn School Board, of course, and also be as engaging and open with the voters as possible.
I do feel that it is time for a change – Many of the board members have been on the school board for multiple terms, and while I appreciate their service to the community, with what has gone on in the district over the last several years, it has lead to an unfortunate level of discontent between some of the current board members and teachers, as well as the community. Hopefully having some fresh faces with new ideas on the board will be a step towards restoring some respect between the groups, and opening new channels of communication that allow us to address the real issues.
Q: Is there any final statement regarding your candidacy you would like to make?
A: My candidacy is based on openness with the community and the desire to restore a sense of faith between the board and the employees of the district. Managing a school district as large as North Penn’s is a business, but it is also important to remember that it is more than that. The schools in this area are representatives of our communities, and also shape our children into the citizens they will become. The financial bottom line is an important aspect of running the district, but we must also maintain the excellent level of education our children receive, and continue to foster the sense of civic pride in our district. Through fiscal responsibility, increased accountability, and straight forward policy making, I believe that electing the 1st S.T.E.P candidates to the school board will help continue the great tradition of the North Penn School District.