Dr. Fischer's Values
Improve Communication
I will encourage our schools improve communication regarding school budgets so that residents can more easily understand where their tax money is spent.
When I first began asking residents their opinions about school levies and funding, I found conflicting statements. Residents who expressed concerns about financial responsibility believe that the school funding is not transparent. But other residents and administrators pointed to the Ohio Checkbook, which provides detailed budget information about every expense and income. I realized that the financial information is available but not in a form that is usable for many voters.
Communicating complex topics like budgets requires that we take a step back and remember that most people cannot invest hours to study the issues and are not trained as accountants to understand the details. As a technical leader and a scientist, explaining complex ideas in a way that can be understood in just a few minutes has been my job for the last 16 years. I believe we can achieve this with our budget.
Inclusion
Children need a learning environment where they feel welcome and included as part of the community. I want to be sure our schools reflect, recognize, and celebrate the diversity in Beavercreek.
The foundation of inclusion is teaching understanding and respect for the uniqueness of each individual student to reduce stigma and marginalization of youth outside the social norm. Inclusion is about welcoming individual students. It can be often be informed by understanding marginalized groups on issues like: race, medical conditions, economic class, sexuality, and gender expression.
When students learn to respect and understand each other, everyone wins. All students gain skills they will use to successfully interact in diverse colleagues in the business world. Traditionally marginalized students feel more welcome and included in the school. Rates of bullying decline.
Unite and Empower
The Board of Education is a committee that leads the big-picture direction for our schools. We are a team responsible for steering the education of our community's children.
A united Board of Education with clear objectives inspires and empowers our school administration to adopt new strategies that better serve our students. I will work to build consensus that supports and empowers our schools so we can explore new ideas and methods to better serve our students. New ideas and methods will help our schools keep pace with the changing economy.
Ensure Accuracy
When I speak with residents across the political spectrum, I hear strong agreement that our schools should be teaching accurate and complete facts across all subjects without pushing personal values regarding specific topics. As a scientist, I strongly value accuracy and completeness in education. I believe that difficult subjects must not be censored, and should be addressed at an age-appropriate level.
When our children graduate from high school, they are nearly adults. They deserve to know and understand the uncomfortable facts about history, society, science, and health that many people would rather not discuss. An educated society makes better decisions. Avoiding difficult topics does a disservice to students and to our society.