Board of Education Elections: Tom Malysz

I have sent each Rochester Community Schools Board of Education candidate questions about Advanced & Gifted Education. Here are the questions and Tom Malysz‘s responses.

1) Do you believe the opportunities and education that exist for advanced and gifted students in Rochester Community Schools are sufficient?  Why or why not?

2) What role do you believe the Board of Education should have in recommending or implementing gifted education options in our district?

3) What changes do you believe should be made to best meet the needs of high achievers based on your understanding of the surrounding community, the current finances, and the needs of RCS students?

4) What role should parents have in determining gifted education options for our district?

5) Should gifted education options be implemented district-wide or at the option of the principals and teachers?

6) Are you a supporter of the International Baccalaureate program and would you work to convert one or more elementary, middle, and high schools in RCS to the IB program?

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1) Do you believe the opportunities and education that exist for advanced and gifted students in Rochester Community Schools are sufficient?  Why or why not?

The opportunities for gifted education can always be improved upon. However, I am an advocate for all the kids of the district whether or not they are gifted. We should look at all areas to help improve the quality of education for all the kids so that they can become gifted students as well.

2) What role do you believe the Board of Education should have in recommending or implementing gifted education options in our district?

If the budget permits, I am all for implementing programs for gifted students. However, based on current budget restraints we are facing issues like; are we going to be able to transport kids to and from school via buses, or eliminate busing all together?

3) What changes do you believe should be made to best meet the needs of high achievers based on your understanding of the surrounding community, the current finances, and the needs of RCS students?

The district is going to have a great deal of challenges ahead in the next few years. The key is parents; if parents want certain things for their kids that the district doesn’t provide, then it’s incumbent upon them to seek out and get the “extra education” that they feel is necessary. There are a high percentage of students that are unprepared for college course work coming out of our schools. That is where our focus needs to be. Do students know what a budget is, and how to work one? Can they do simple math? I went to a sandwich shop last week, and the cashier needed a calculator to figure out simple change. Do they know how many enumerated powers there are to our constitution, and what they are? If not, I suggest that they be looked up, studied, and memorized.

4) What role should parents have in determining gifted education options for our district?

I think that parents that have an interest in gifted education should get more involved in their own schools to get teachers and administration on board with promoting gifted education options.

5) Should gifted education options be implemented district-wide or at the option of the principals and teachers?

See above.

6) Are you a supporter of the International Baccalaureate program and would you work to convert one or more elementary, middle, and high schools in RCS to the IB program?

I am not a supporter of the IB program based on the social issues that are associated with it. If we can utilize the rigor of the academics without the social aspect of it, then I believe that they should be explored.

Thank you for reading Rochester SAGE!  Together we can make a difference for gifted children!