Thank you for replying to our 2024 voter guide questionnaire. We appreciate your cooperation. You may edit your responses at any time. Your responses will be available to voters 24/7 through an interactive, community-specific online voters' guide at http://www.VOTE411.org. They may also appear in print guides produced by LWV-WC.
Email: votegerbe@gmail.com
Website: www.votegerbe.com
What in your education and experience make you the best qualified candidate for this position?
For the past four years, I have had the privilege of representing students and Saline families as Saline School Board Trustee where I have also served as Treasurer and Finance Chair. In addition to doing the job, I live the job! For the past 20 years, I have been a dedicated and loyal teacher for the Manchester Community Schools teaching Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy, and Forensic Science. I have two children in the Saline Schools- Graham, a junior at the high and Bryce, an 8th grader at SMS. I understand the school experience from a number of angles. From that of a parent of students, from that of Trustee who works collaboratively as part of our school board team, and as a school employee. I think these experiences make me a strong voice for Saline families. In addition, I'm proud of the work we've done. As finance chair and Treasurer, we have established the strongest fund balance in many, many years. This puts our district on strong financial footing going forward.
What are your goals should you be elected and how will you work to accomplish them?
I want to continue to be a voice for students! My biggest goal is a genuine desire for all students and staff to feel supported and safe in the school and that everyone in our schools gets to be their authentic, real selves. In addition, I want to continue to be part of a board team that strives for connection and works to establish relationships. I will care about students and families and I will listen to our collective experiences. We have established a number of goals for the district and I want to contribute towards the attainment of those goals. These include maintaining academic rigor, promoting a culture of equity, maximizing civility and unity, and working towards the future. The future is bright for our schools and I would be excited to continue to be good stewards of finance and to work towards the improvements our recent bond passage (thank you voters!) is going to support.
What should be done to improve student achievement?
The Board receives regular reports from the district's teaching and learning team. I will continue to advocate for regular cadence of these reports- particularly as applies to literacy and math. Literacy is of particular importance to me. It is the most important life skill we can impart to our students. Our current math scores represent an area of opportunity. We have a tremendous staff and I am confident that math scores are moving in the right direction. That said, I support the teaching and learning team in their desire to provide meaningful and relevant professional development and to provide state-of-the-art curriculum and resources. We have to invest in math and literacy, and then support our incredible educators as they do the work. While I am on that topic I will state again my belief in our staff. I want to prioritize time in the classroom. I also want to maintain the best talent, as such I strongly support good contracts and competitive wages and benefits.
What are your budget priorities?
The classroom, the classroom, the classroom. When we take care of the classroom... we support kids. I want the best educators, with the best materials, in the best facilities, creating relationships with students. Over the past three years, as I previously mentioned we have established a VERY strong fund balance. This will allow us to be innovative, competitive for talent and to endure any future financial challenges. I predict that we are going to stabilize enrollment around 4800 students. Over the past year the finance committee has targeted our structures to meet the needs of 4800 students. This work is ongoing and necessary. We also must continue to advocate at the state level for per pupil funding to be a priority. In addition, the budget currently contains a number of categorical areas- school safety, social-emotional learning (SEL), literacy, breakfast and lunch for all students, to name a few... and these things must be politically advocated for. I am ready to do that.
What are the greatest challenges that will face the school board in the coming year?
I think the great challenge of our time is polarization. I'm a bit of an idealist when I write- I don't think most people want to be polar. I really don't think they do when it comes to our kids. Wanting a great life for our kids- unites us. Now, we might have differing belief systems and priorities, but I think we need to learn to care about those who don't worship the way I do, love the way I do, have the same life experiences and needs from the school system that I do. We have to work for one another. I believe that I am steadying force on the Board. I am NOT perfect. And I certainly have a set of core beliefs and values and I will vote that way. That said, I will listen and think about how I can meet the needs of all of our students. We may not agree, but I will try to understand. Very quickly we do have work to do. Curriculum, facility improvements, structural stability... while these are not insurmountable challenges, they are important and need to remain a focus.
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