Donald Shonkwiler 2. The middle grades are where students begin to master a rich body of knowledge and develop skills which permit that acquisition and usefulness throughout later life and educational pursuits. At a minimum, students should learn and develop study skills; language arts including reading from quality literature, writing of all types from personal to critical and persuasive work; history in order to put cultures and events into a proper context; foreign language; art; music and PE. Return to Question List

Donald Shonkwiler 3. Maybe. Year-round neighborhood schools aren't well understood in BVSD today. This may be due to a poor introduction of the concept during the 1993 bond campaign. A process of public education with meaningful community input could result in a credible listing of pros, cons, costs and educational benefits associated with alternate school calendars. This is a community quality of life issue; the board must reflect our community's values and willingness to support those priorities. Return to Question List

Donald Shonkwiler 4. A teacher in a classroom with students should be the basic learning and budget concept in BVSD. Every other employee, program and expenditure in the district must be evaluated and priorities for the value added in support of that basic concept. When we know the cost and effectiveness of each expenditure in support of learning, we will be able to eliminate those costs which have the least negative impact on students. Return to Question List