Jane Puszkar

Strongly Disagree

I do not believe PP or any abortion provider deserves a place in our schools as a resource or instructor or should have access to our children.

Strongly Agree

If cells are growing, life is present.

Strongly Agree

Once again, the atmosphere in schools has changed and not all religions are given the same respect or consideration. The separation of church and state in our Constitution was put there by our Founding Fathers to keep the government out of religion, not religion out of the government. This fact is often overlooked or misinterpreted in my opinion.

Strongly Agree

School districts should not discriminate period. It's unfortunate that marriage has become an issue in K-12. Why should a school district be able to practice discrimination against anyone's beliefs? Imagine if the reverse were true, there would be a large amount of attention drawn to the school and the person(s) involved. I feel strongly that discrimination does not belong in our schools.

Strongly Agree

Our economy has flourished in the past and will continue to flourish in the future if producing entities are given minimal regulation. An example of a growing economy is in Texas. The Texas legislature meets every other year and has been drawing new industries as a result of less government interference and oversight. Excessive taxation and regulation hinders a growing economy. Yes, private property is an essential element of freedom and a growing economy.

Strongly Disagree

I do not believe that taxpayer money, collected from both parties, should be able to lobby the state legislature to influence decisions. There is also the issue of "big money", which may not represent what's best for students, stepping in to influence decisions in their favor. School districts need to concentrate on education and not politics. I am not a supporter of lobbyists or their methods. The residents of the district should have an influence on their legislatures, not lobbyists.

In its current state, I do not wholly support government funding of our public education. School districts and colleges have become completely reliant on these funds to operate. Unfortunately, that opens the door for the government, federal and state, to put requirements on the money the districts receive. Too much of our children's information is being given away via required online surveys, etc., without regard to their privacy.

The School Board has all legislative (policy development and evaluation) and management authority (including financial) over the school district, up to and including the Superintendent. The School Board accomplishes these functions by adopting policies and directing any procedures necessary for governing the School district. The Board delegates responsibility for the implementation of policies and procedures to the Superintendent. The Board is also responsible for determining the effectiveness of the Superintendent and policy implementation through an ongoing evaluation of operations, practices, and program outcomes. Determination of the success or failure of these policies, practices, and outcomes should be guided by the academic success of the students (according to policy) and measured by quantitative measures when appropriate. Recently, our school district's rating fell from the top 10 to number 52. Understanding that many factors play into the success or failure of a school district, including Covid, it still is a precipitous fall from a very high rating. Our reading and math scores have suffered the most. By returning focus to the basics, I believe that our school district can regain its academic excellence. The Board is also responsible for the financial aspects of running a district. Recently, the construction of Francis Howell North began without a full accounting of what the final cost would be. This resulted in a 91% cost overrun which is totally unacceptable. The impact of the decisions made by the current Board and any incumbent will be felt in all financial decisions moving forward for many years to come. Needless to say, there was less than adequate oversight of this project. I want to be part of a positive change in the way the district is run by having full accounting and transparency of what the district spends its money on, which did not happen under the current Board's watch. There are difficult decisions that will have to be made, and I believe I have the analytical skills to be able to make those tough decisions. The Board is also tasked with adequate communication with the stakeholders in the District. I have found that there are areas of communication in which Francis Howell does well. They have events that parents/stakeholders are invited to and are able to offer feedback and gain more information. They have strategic committees that are developed on an ad hoc basis. The biggest communication and financial failure that occurred in Francis Howell was the largest expenditure in their history. Communication surrounding this event was extremely lacking. As a School Board member, I will ensure that all major expenditures are reviewed and communicated properly.

The Superintendent should submit the proposed curriculum to the School Board for their review and approval, once it is deemed to be in alignment with State requirements. Once those are submitted the Board can review the curriculum submitted and by a vote of the majority, determine which curriculum should be adopted. The resources are another matter. Currently, some teachers are able to determine the resources that should be used. Not enough oversight is used when resources are reviewed and though most teachers are instinctual in knowing what's correct and proper for their students, there are a few, and I stress a few, that use liberties that are not theirs. Resources should not be used for indoctrination. Resources that are not in line with school guidelines should be reviewed and if found to be in opposition to school policy, should be banned. Resources should be approved by the Superintendent, but also subject to review when complaints from stakeholders and parents arise. CRT should not be taught in our schools and when it is determined by the Superintendent or the School Board that our children are being taught to view their classmates through the lens of color, the resources should be removed from the classroom. MLK Jr stated that he longed for the day that people would be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. Any curriculum that teaches otherwise needs to be taken out of the classroom.

Threats, profanity, disrespect, and irrelevance have no place in a School Board meeting and should not be tolerated. Understanding that sometimes there is an abundance of emotion on both sides, respect should be present in all interactions. It is currently School Board policy, that a school board member will not respond to community/patron comments at the meeting and will be contacted by an administrator later if needed. I would like to see that changed, especially when a patron is purporting an incorrect statement or untrue fact.I believe the reason for the amount of emotion currently present is mostly because parents/stakeholders do not feel that they are being heard and their concerns are not being acknowledged. That being said, parents AND stakeholders (not just parents with children in the district) should be free to exercise their freedom of speech in a public setting. Recently, the President of the School Board said that the name "Francis Howell Families" (a PAC) could not be used during patron comments after allowing other organizations' names to be used. This escalated to a lawsuit in which FHF sued the school district to retain their right to free speech and won. Suppression of speech should never have happened and the school board should never have allowed this lawsuit to continue. Situations like this are occurring all over our country and it's time that it stopped. The simple answer is that it's OUR taxpayer dollars funding the school district and we should have a say in its decisions. Some administrators/school boards/superintendents have lost sight of this fact. One last comment about possible restrictions is that remarks by stakeholders need to be relevant to school district business and not a "soapbox" for a personal agenda. If a stakeholder is found to have comments that are irrelevant to school board business, that person should have at least a one-month suspension from speaking. As a school board member, I will ensure that all respectful, relevant and nonprofane discussions are heard.

Below is my list in order of priority: Mathematics, Science, Language Arts, Vocational Learning, Art & Music, American History, Information Technology, Physical Fitness, and Personal Finances I lean towards the most important things being math and the sciences. With a degree in accounting as well as a degree in nursing, that is where I place my emphasis. However, I do understand that not all children are geared toward traditional didactic learning and I am not minimizing their struggles to compete in a math and science environment. It was hard to decide where to put Vocational Learning since I do believe it has the same importance as Math and Science and teaches students many valuable skills. However, my experience has taught me that more kids are adept at traditional learning than kids that are not. The children that are more adept in a skilled trade need and deserve an opportunity to excel in what they do best which is exemplified by working with their hands. The inhabitants of the district need plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and other skilled trades probably more now than in the past. I excluded sexuality because, in its most understood definition, it includes the "study of gender or genders to which they are typically attracted; sexual orientation." It is my belief that schools should support parents, not replace them. If part of the curriculum includes parents that there are more than two genders, that they might have been born into the wrong gender, or that men can have babies, then that discussion should be between the children and their parent(s) and not the teacher and the student(s). There is the opportunity for indoctrination as opposed to education. I placed Information Technology lower not because I do not see its value, but because I do believe this current group of students know more about IT than they do American History. I would like to change that. You will notice that I placed personal finances last. I am not minimizing the effect that poor stewardship of personal finances can have devastating effects on one's ability to navigate life, but I believe that children learn more about money by observing their parents' good and not so good use of money.

Liberty and equality. Our Founding Fathers recognized that our rights come from God and not from government. All men are created equal and have the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Some have wandered from the founding principles and believe that government can solve all problems.

If equity is defined as "freedom from bias" in Webster's dictionary, then equity in education should mean "freedom from bias" in education. Equity in the classroom is not free of bias and just the opposite occurs. In the classroom, let's talk about hypothetical Child A and Child B. Child A grew up in what's considered a privileged class, with many resources for learning and parents that could afford them. Child B grew up in a single-parent family, and that single parent was frequently absent because being the single wage earner, it was difficult to make ends meet. According to the theory of equity, the same criteria for learning and testing should not apply to both children. Because of the circumstances of Child B, there should be extra allowances due to not having the same advantaged home. I don't believe that different standards should apply to children because they have different circumstances. Giving more rights to one child does nothing to motivate that child but does tend to de-motivate other children.

Strongly Agree

As stated, schools should support parents, not replace them, so opting in makes a good choice for most parents. SEL is defined as "the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success. In practice, it calls for a role that a teacher isn't necessarily qualified to fulfill. In reality, teachers are not hired as professional psychological counselors, but the questions asked and the evaluations needed are just that.

Strongly Agree

If strings are attached to funding, then control by the local school board in diminished.

Strongly Agree

I support parents' rights and believe they have a right to know and understand everything their child is being taught.

Strongly Agree

Though the Board holds the superintendent accountable, the stakeholders in the district need to hold the board accountable.

No

Research shows that when an adolescent's brain is exposed to graphic sexual acts, that child is more prone to search out pornography as they age.

Strongly Agree

Stakeholders have every right to know what they are paying for and what their children are being taught.

Agree

If teachers are licensed and proficient, they should be allowed a concealed weapon for their own protection, and steps need to be taken to be sure that the gun is kept in a very safe place. I believe a better answer would be a dedicated, armed school resource officer on campus at all times. Again, teachers are trained to teach. I value the safety of all children and personnel, however, I think the purpose is better served with an officer dedicated solely to the safety of those on campus.

I am not an anti-vaxxer, but I believe that schools should not be the entity that decides which vaccinations are required. I believe that medical decisions need to be made by licensed medical professionals. The problem that arose recently is that vaccines were being mandated long before there was any proof that they helped stop transmission of a virus and before it was adequately studied for side effects. This has created much doubt about vaccines in general. Never before has a vaccine been given with the expectation that the vaccinated person would routinely get the disease or virus for which they received the vaccine. When given a vaccine, in almost all cases, full disclosure, which is the law, was not given. In that disclosure, side effects need to be discussed. Unfortunately, many of the professionals that were chastised for raising alarm bells about this are now being vindicated. There have been a large number of sudden deaths by athletes and many more cases of myocarditis, especially in young males. Serious side effects have occurred in a large segment of the vaccinated population. All this leads to confusion, mistrust, misinformation, and anxiety. I believe that recommendations can/should be made by medical professionals, however, it should be up to the parent as to whether the vaccine is safe and administered. I trust parents to make the right decision for their children and I believe the vast majority of them do.

Strongly Disagree

Masking children causes more problems than it solves. First, the masks were proven to not be effective in preventing the transfer of Covid. Second, young children learn to speak by watching you pronounce words. Third, children also developed respiratory ailments from being masked continually.

Agree

I have taken advantage of watching prior FHSD board meetings that were recorded. To me, it is a large benefit of being in a school district that encourages input and feedback. I've not used written transcripts but can see that it might be helpful to some stakeholders.

Strongly Agree

NO

Strongly Agree

Certain character flaws will be representative of the actions a candidate will take after being elected. If a person lies or cheats during the election, expect more of the same after. I agree that it's hard to find people of good moral character that are willing to step up and make the sacrifice to run and hold office.

Conservative

I marked conservative because of the qualitative measure and unsure of the difference exactly between conservative and very conservative. I am not a member of a fringe conservative group, but a common sense and knowledgeable conservative group.

Vote for Jane Puszkar on Facebook, interview with Kell Brazil of 93.3 RealTalk on February 22. The podcast is available on their website. More interviews are being scheduled. Go to my webpage for updates!

I have always been heavily invested in education with a degree in Accounting, an MBA, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. I went to night school for 12 years while working full-time to obtain my first two degrees. I don't give up easily. I went through the accelerated option at St. Louis University to gain my nursing degree. ( A degree is awarded after 12 months of concentrated study.) I had a successful career in pharmaceutical sales and was promoted to district sales manager. That's where my management skills were sharpened. Managing personnel remotely is different than managing in an office setting. More emphasis is put on results and quantitative measures as opposed to qualitative ones which is why I am always cognizant of results. Having managed sales reps in more than 4 states, I found that it takes an inordinate amount of stamina and time management to be successful while being "on the road" most of the time. I know that with the people management skills I developed, and my time management skills, I will be an effective leader on the School Board. While working as a nurse, I founded the Association of Stroke Coordinators. At the time, there was no communication between nurses in SSM, Mercy, or BJC. The ASC was founded with the mission to educate ourselves and the communities we serve. In the beginning, there were 12 nurses from the St. Louis area that worked together to share information on clinical practice guidelines, improvements, and updates on patient care, and discuss the challenges that we all faced together. Today, the ASC has over 65 stroke coordinators based in 5 states. We still meet every other month and share valuable information for the treatment of stroke. Our focus for the education of the communities we serve is centered on community education and 5th-grade education. Utilizing a curriculum developed specifically for 5th graders, we go into schools and teach them to identify the signs/symptoms of a stroke, how to act quickly, and how to teach others what they have learned. To date, we have educated over 1500 students. This education came to a halt during Covid, however, we are slowly gaining access to 5th-grade education classes again. We find this education to be very rewarding. I still handle the majority of administrative work associated with this organization mostly because of the demands placed on nurses in a hospital. It is an honor to be surrounded by these highly dedicated and intelligent nurses! I am also a Certified Private Pilot.

I am a Christian conservative. I believe Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.

Strongly Disagree

Physically men and women are not equal, which puts men at an advantage when competing against women.

Strongly Agree

Booker T Washington stated: "A lie doesn't become truth, wrong doesn't become right, and evil doesn't become good, just because it's accepted by a majority." All students should be treated with respect. However, gender dysphoria (medical diagnosis) needs to be addressed by a medical professional, not a teacher.

Disagree

Being a retired healthcare professional, I believe that the medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria should be made by a healthcare professional and any therapy given by a healthcare professional. I do not believe the therapy should be banned but should not be given by a teacher or administrator.

Strongly Agree

Any diagnosis should be given by a medical professional, not a teacher or administrator. They are not trained to make a medical diagnosis but are trained to teach. Being a retired nurse, I believe medical issues should be identified by the school nurse and then if follow-up is needed, referred to an appropriate professional. I know it's very difficult when a doctor/psychologist is not immediately available and during a crisis, it's difficult to find help.

Parents should be responsible for teaching sexual education to their children. Some parents that don't feel comfortable or are unable to teach their children should be able to opt into a program available at school. The age will differ for each child depending on their maturity. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to children and learning about sex.

Sex Ed should include Physical and emotional health outcomes, contraception, consent, abstinence, human anatomy, stages of pregnancy, and fetal development. Sex acts and the pleasure of sex should be considered pornography.

Strongly Agree

Our country was founded on Judeo-Christian values.

Strongly Disagree

Without proper identification, the possibility of fraud is greater.