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Chester County Press

School board members announce new ticket

11/18/2014 01:13PM ● By J. Chambless

By John Chambless

Staff Writer

Over breakfast at a corner table at Hank's in Chadds Ford on Tuesday morning, a three-person ticket was announced for the 2015 Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board race.

Current school board members Kathleen Do and Gregg Lindner were joined by their new runnng mate, Beverly Brookes.

"When I first met Kathy and Gregg in 2011, I was impressed with their pledge to run and serve as school board directors who put education first and to balance the needs of students and the community without adherence to political ideologies," Brookes wrote in a prepared statement. "I have paid close attention to their service on the school board these last few years, and it is very clear that they have kept their commitment to look at each issue on its merits, without any philosophical ideology or political bias. I am a lifelong Republican who believes that party loyalty should have no role in our public education system, and I am honored to be joining Kathy and Gregg on a non-partisan ticket to address the needs of all constituencies in the district."

Lindner and Do were elected in Region C in 2011. Lindner has served as the chairman of communications and facilities, and has worked as a member of the board's negotiating team. Among his successes on the board, he pointed to the after-school bus that allows more students to take part in activities. The bus is paid for at no cost to taxpayers, and began operating this fall.

During her tenure, Do has taken a lead role in anti-bullying programs, has opposed the outsourcing of support staff, and as chair of the Curriculum and Education Technology Committee, she has played a role in updating teacher evaluation standards, as well as the upgrading of technology in the schools.

Her goals for next year center on student wellness, particularly the stress that students are experiencing. The Curriculum Committee will oversee a survey that will be sent to the community, asking about the amount of homework assigned to students. Do feels that testing should be scheduled so that there are not multiple large tests assigned on the same day. She is also working on a committee addressing academic integrity after a few students in the high school were accused of cheating last year. "We need to give students the message that they shouldn't want to cheat," Do said on Tuesday morning.

Lindner said he wants to continue the after-school bus that has proved very popular with families. "I'd also like us to do better on getting some alternative sources of income," he said. The board has studied possibly renting school facilities or pursuing sponsorship and advertising. "We've gone part way down that road, but I think we need to do more," Lindner said on Tuesday.

Brookes, in her statement, wrote, "I pledge that I will be fiscally responsible (after all, I am retired and on a fixed income). I live in Cartmel and our monthly fee has risen between 4.5 and 5 percent for the last four years. The increase in our fees resulted, in part, from increases in school taxes. I will listen to parent concerns, the concerns of the administration, teachers and taxpayers. Anyone who knows me understands that I have always been honest in my representations."

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, e-mail [email protected].