Three Questions for David Arthur

Elections for the Madison Board of Education are scheduled for April 27. In the final round of questions, Patch asked Board candidates to address a number of issues facing the school district regarding funding, staffing and programs. Patch will feature the responses of a different candidate in the days leading up to the election. Today's candidate is incumbent David Arthur.

Patch: In light of the current funding challenges and knowing how important it will be to maintain Madison's record of academic excellence, how would you help the board set budget priorities going forward? What specific skills and ideas would you bring to the table?

Arthur: Maintaining Madison’s record of academic excellence will require a concerted effort and coordination between our teachers and administration, especially in the area of curriculum.  Now, thanks to our teachers and administrators, we have a cycle in which curriculum is revised as a district K-12 program.  Committees are now formed to review student data, gather feedback, review content standards, and articulate across grade levels so that there is consistency to the program and so that gaps and repetitions don't exist across grades. 

I have been on the curriculum committee for the last three years and my background as a teacher is invaluable in helping to move Madison forward with a curriculum that remains a solid performer and at the same time adapts to the changing learning environment our children find themselves in.  

Patch: The board has proposed both an increase in activity fees and a reduction of assistant coaching positions. Do you think this is equitable? If your answer is yes, please support your opinion. If your answer is no, please provide a detailed alternative proposal.

Arthur: I believe the Board’s decision to reduce the size of our coaching staff and increase the activity fees are equitable.  Madison has a history of volunteerism and that will help offset the elimination of some coaching positions.  Our economic reality requires we try to move cost back to those students and parents that directly benefit from the extracurricular activities.  Some of our citizens feel that they should not be required to support activities they feel add no real value to the educational experience.  While I disagree with that assessment, the reality is we are limited in our ability to fully fund these programs going forward.  This is an area where we must continue to get more input from the entire community.

Patch: Next year elimination of pull-out world language for 4th and 5th graders and instrumental music for 4th graders have been proposed in order to reduce costs. What do you believe will be the impact of the loss of these programs in both the short and long term? Do you have alternative program cut/reduction suggestions and/or ideas about how to resolve this problem?

Arthur: Nobody is happy with the reductions proposed in our elementary music and language programs.  I agree that the sooner we involve our students in language and music the better.  The funding realities will require we come up with alternatives to the current arrangement.  As for language performance, the High School language teachers are telling us that the current wave of students going to the high school have a greater level of proficiency than ever before.  One side benefit of sending our 6th grade to the Junior School has been a dramatic improvement as they now receive the repetition needed to be better language students.

As for our music reductions, as I have stated before, our music community voiced their concerns and are galvanized as never before.  As they become more involved in helping map the direction music will have in the future the level of volunteerism will increase and the benefits will inure to all our students.