Patti Tanner will help solve district's problems as a Saline school board member
I am writing to express my full endorsement of Patti Tanner for a seat on the Saline Board of Education. Patti has been a neighbor and colleague for over 10 years.
During the time that I have known her, she has evidenced a level of integrity that is difficult to match and rarely seen. She is both a quality problem solver and an innovative thinker.
I have observed her in many different settings and seen someone who has an amazingly reflective working style that seems to encourage new ideas and quality conversations.
Patti is a realist and someone not compelled to be drawn into drama and politics. As a member of the school board, I have no doubt that she will give her full attention and effort to support our school district.
Most importantly perhaps, I believe that she will help us find solutions as a member of the SAS “team,” which includes members of the school board, administration, teachers, and all community members.
We hear so much blaming for current financial difficulties in our district, and it is my feeling that it is irrelevant whose “fault” it is (if there is even a way to blame one person or group)! The issues we are facing require finding solutions as a community/team, and moving forward with a solid plan of action. I think Patti Tanner will help us to do that.
Debbie Urquhart
Saline
Comments
RTG
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 1:25 a.m.
.....and that would be HOLDEN and ZIMMER!!!
RTG
Tue, Oct 25, 2011 : 11:54 p.m.
I want to thank the four candidates running for the Saline School Board race. We all have busy lives and for these folks to put their name on the ballot and run around scuriously to plant lawn signs, meet with the voting public, attend forums, etc is a testament in itself to their devotion to Saline and this school district. Let's make the final two weeks tolerable and model honor and respect to future generations of voters among us. There are obviously differences in belief systems and the voters will align one way or another. Our operating expenses are greater than our revenue sources. We are selling off land assets, laying off teachers, spending from the required 5% fund balance, raising fees again for activity participation (even to the boy and girl scouts for goodness sake), it is out of control. Its real and its happening, you can't run from it. We need to vote for the two candidates with the strongest backgrounds in finance, budgeting, long range planning, and organizational management.
sellers
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 8:04 p.m.
Yes, being on a committee, board, etc is very challenging. Most often it's a medium for ridicule and you have to take a lot of punches. If you think about it - you are taking a job that in every decision you will be offending at least 25% of your representation base, and you are faced with decisions that have a no win situation. It's not a role you take to be popular - kudos to those who make an effort and put themselves out there - whether I agree or disagree. (generalization)
Dennis Hallock
Tue, Oct 25, 2011 : 4:52 p.m.
I will also be voting for Friese and Tanner. Having read the bio's for the other candidates they appear to be the typical "right wing" players that are prevalent in our Lansing leadership today. What we need are schoolboard members that put the good of the children and school first. Not the typical anti-teacher anti-administration that Holden and Zimmer appear to be. It didn't look like either of Holden nor Zimmer have the experience in education. They do have experience as self-proclaimed businessmen and that is not what i want running our schools or our state. We've already seen what happens in Lansing when "Businessmen" are in charge. They cut schools, want to increase charter schools, etc. Please vote for our kids and elect Friese and Tanner.
David Zimmer
Tue, Oct 25, 2011 : 6:16 p.m.
Mr. Hallock, here is the relevant parts of my bio. – 11 years of human capital consulting experience with a focus on strategic initiatives for higher education, non-profit organizations and human resource organizations –Helped build programs that create early learning literacy capability for urban and economically disadvantaged children of Southeastern Michigan – Helped redesign the Admissions, Scholarship and Financial Aid Programs at the U of M Dearborn, including the creation of a special scholarship program for students from economically-disadvantaged communities Oh by the way, I have also built adult learning organizations for domestic, international, technical, managerial, and executive level personnel that was listed as a best practice model within my industry for many years.
snoopdog
Mon, Oct 24, 2011 : 12:24 a.m.
Friese needs to go, there is no doubt about that and thank goodness Medley is leaving. The voters have seen entitlements explode and the rainy day fund has gone from 25 million 10 years ago to zip/nadda/zilch. Holden and Zimmer must get elected, otherwise this school district will continue is slow spiral down the tubes ! Rather funny that I am watching 60 minutes and they have a special on Steve Jobs life. One section is on the apple I-Pad and how it has transformed the lives of children that are autistic. Computers won't replace teachers but they can certainly assist in a big way. Tanner and Friese stand for re-arranging furniture on the sinking ship, Holden and Zimmer are steering the ship so it doesn't hit the iceberg ! Good Day
teepartidude
Mon, Oct 24, 2011 : 11:28 p.m.
Sinking ship?!? Saline continues to rank among the best high schools in Michigan and the United States. An excellent teaching staff, well motivated students, and supportive parents are what counts. Forget the iGizmos--the cheap man always more in the end. <a href="http://saline.patch.com/articles/newsweek-saline-high-school-one-of-the-top-schools-in-america" rel='nofollow'>http://saline.patch.com/articles/newsweek-saline-high-school-one-of-the-top-schools-in-america</a>
Jonny Spirit
Sun, Oct 23, 2011 : 11:19 p.m.
I'll be voting for Tanner and Friese. The other 2 just want to attack teachers and put classes online to save money. We don't need teachers anymore we have computers. The state just found 258 million dollars and I hope every penny goes back to the teachers, police, nurses, firefighter and every government employer that got screwed by that dumb Gov. Snyder. Saline still has 3.5 million dollars in there rainy day fund, last I knew schools were not a bank or a store and they are not there to make money. The way I look at it they should end up with zero in there account when they pay all there bills at the end of the year. Sparty On!!
sellers
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 8:02 p.m.
Rainy day funds are for rainy days - this is a weather pattern shift that is not a rainy day issue. Rainy day would be state mandates that all ADA ramps need to be redesigned, or a fire rips through 1/2 of town and the tax base is obliterated for a few years.
David Zimmer
Mon, Oct 24, 2011 : 3:57 a.m.
Hi Jonny Spirit, If you think trying to reduce class size so teachers have the ability to be successfull in educating our young people, building operating budgets so that teachers have the classroom materials they need to be effective educators, create salary schedules so that teachers receive a highly competive salary, bid insurance coverage so we have a competive and cost effective benefit package and create grant opportunities so that teachers are given the opportuntiy to explore innovative approaches that help autistic children are the approaches of a teacher attacker, then I plead Guilty as charged. I encourage you to attend one of our upcoming Chalk Talks to learn more about what I stand for and of how we can achieve these things by approaching our challenges in a different way than we are today.
stunhsif
Sun, Oct 23, 2011 : 9:26 p.m.
Tanner is simply another version of Friese. I will be voting for Holden and Zimmer. Go Green Go White