Donovan wants to be a listener

MOSES LAKE — Candidate Kevin Donovan is running for election to Moses Lake School Board position 4 to offer fresh ideas and to be available to parents and educators.

“I firmly believe that a child’s education is only as good as the parent’s involvement in that education,” he explained. “It would be easy to help in the classroom or to follow up with our children in the evening to monitor their progress in school. I want to do much more than that.”

Donovan stated he can offer his perspective on education to the school board and serve as a voice to parents and educators to express their concerns.

“The most important thing to anyone involved in the education community has to be the welfare and success of the children,” he stated. “The children in school today, and in the years to come, will be leading this community and country in the not so distant future. They deserve the best education possible.”

Donovan explained how his experiences prepared him for the position.

“As the general manager of Staples in Moses Lake I have been responsible and accountable for a multi-million dollar operation for the past nine years,” he stated. “This is the latest assignment in a management career of over 20 years in which I have played a key role in the success of many individuals and markets.”

He’s coordinated training programs used at a regional level and created policies used across the nation for the business.

“I am accustomed to being an integral part of a team and leading that team when necessary,” he stated. “In my career I have had the opportunity to lead a team to consistently perform in the top 5 percent of a company with over 1,500 locations.”

He is a member of the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce and served the Long Range Planning Committee, Bond Committee and Strategic Planning Committee through the school board.

One of his goals for the position is to improve the education given to students.

Donovan explained the school district is faced with a growing student population, budget limitations, students failing to meet state educational requirements and a drop out rate.

“As a school board, we must ensure that the necessary resources are made available to the superintendent and the district personnel and that the superintendent and personnel are held accountable to utilize those resources in the best interest of the students,” he explained.

Donovan stated a challenge facing the school district is improving educational resources with limited state funding.

“Our school district, while it has improved dramatically over recent years, is not meeting the minimum state requirements,” he stated. “This has a lasting effect as many of our students struggle with college preparedness and with an ability to enter the job market with the appropriate tools.”

Donovan stated citizens should vote for him because he is committed to student’s welfare and education.

“Additionally, my financial management experience and team leadership skills will prove to be an asset to the board,” he explained. “I am ready and anxious to take on this responsibility.”

He shared his views on funding facility improvements.

“We must be careful to ensure that we are providing the best facilities while maintaining fiscal awareness,” Donovan stated. “During difficult economic times we must be prudent in our decisions and make every decision with the children in mind. If an improvement does not benefit the students, then we must ask if it is truly necessary.”

He explained the school district relies on bonds and revenue from property taxes to fund major improvements.

“Along with this we should partner with our community businesses to raise funds for special projects and improvements,” Donovan stated.

He explained his stance on communication between board members, school employees and the general public.

“Communication at every level is paramount to the successful education of our students,” Donovan stated. “Parents must be given a voice on the Moses Lake School Board, a voice that will present their concerns and benefit their children.”

He stated it’s important to hear from school district staff.

“We need to know what challenges are faced by the personnel in performing their job responsibilities and what solutions are being offered by the administration,” Donovan stated. “The personnel at every point must be part of the solution in improving communication and enhancing the education of our students.”

He explained how the school board should manage the budget in light of state funding cutbacks.

Donovan stated thousands of teachers across the state were let go from their position due to funding cut backs but the Moses Lake School District refrained from following suite. He explained cuts were made in other areas and some vacant teacher positions were not refilled.

“This is an outstanding accomplishment by our board and the administration,” he stated. “We should continue to seek ways to reduce expenditures while maintaining current staffing levels. Payroll is typically the most expensive budget line item from any organization, however, when you reduce staff in the school district, you may reduce the quality of the education. Fiscal responsibility requires creative thinking and teamwork. Board members must be able to think outside the box and maintain focus on what is best for the children.”

Donovan explained what curriculum changes are needed.

He stated the school district has utilized a four period schedule since the 1990s and most schools have abandoned it after adopting it. He stated it appears to contribute to the dropout rate and student’s ability to meet minimum state educational standards.

“I believe that it is time to put together a team of educators and parents to really look at this and alternatives while keeping in mind future changes in state requirements,” Donovan stated.

He stated the top priority for the school district is to provide education to students.

“We have a responsibility to those parents and those children to provide them with the best educational opportunities,” he explained. “We have a lot of talented individuals working within our school district who have the best interest of the students in the forefront of their minds. We need to capitalize on that asset and work with those who may have lost sight on why they joined the education community. We must ensure that we are doing everything possible to create an environment in which staff is motivated to provide the best possible education and is willing to change when that educational system is not successful.”