School Board Q&A: Bruce Quitmeyer, running for Austin Public Schools Board

Q: Why are you best qualified to represent Austin on the School Board?

A: My three young boys are just entering the school system, and will be a part of it for many years to come. I want to be part of helping our schools ensure the brightest of futures for all the kids in our community.

 

Q: Board members may be asked over the next few years to make budget cuts. What initiatives or programs would you cut? What do you consider too important to cut?

A: Everything needs to be weighed, but ultimately what are the goals of the district? Raising standardized test scores is important, but the ultimate goal should be in graduating well-rounded students that have had a full educational experience.

 

Q: What technological advancements do Austin Public Schools need to make?

A: Improvements to Woodson Kindergarten and construction of the new middle school are underway and will give us opportunities to include state of the art technology. However, technology is only one of the tools needed to provide and excellent education to our students.

 

Q: Sumner Elementary School is in the second year of its year-round, 45/15 schedule. If Sumner students show gains in state comprehensive testing scores, should 45/15 be adopted district-wide?

A: If test scores showed improvement, we should examine the data to find the reasons for the improvement. We should adopt solutions that improve performance but be wary of adopting a one size fits all approach.

 

Q: What programs, initiatives or classes would you like to see added to the district?

A: Adoption of the STEAM curriculum is a good start. We should be continually evaluating opportunities to improve curriculum.