School Board Candidate: Robin Cervantes

Eight candidates are vying for seats on the Board of Education in the April 27 election, where voters also will decide whether to support the . Today, Wall Patch kicks off its election coverage with the first in a series of candidate profiles with Robin Cervantes.

All candidates have been invited to participate in a short interview and provide a brief biography and a photograph.  Additionally, Wall Patch has provided a short slide show of the from the, which can be accessed by clicking on the icon to the right.

Candidate: Robin Cervantes

Address: 2009 Tally Ho Dr.

Occupation: Registered Nurse; currently an at-home mom

Age: 43

Children: Two in district

Experience: Seeking first term

Robin Cervantes cited the district’s search for a new superintendent, increased communication from the board and the successful implementation and monitoring of the high school’s upcoming block scheduling program as the three top challenges the school board faces in the near term.

The contract of schools Superintendent James Habel expires next year. Although Habel has not said publicly that he will not seek an extension, the school board at its Jan. 11 meeting cited the search for the district’s next superintendent as one of its top priorities, according to meeting minutes.

Cervantes called Habel’s current contract “one of the most polarizing issues’’ in this campaign. She said big changes need to be made in the way the schools' top post is compensated.

“That’s what needs to change in order for the community to get over the pay and the perks,’’ Cervantes said. “You can’t get past that.”

Cervantes said she favored an open process of ad hoc committees and community participation in deciding what qualities are necessary in a superintendent and the compensation package.

“I’d love to have an ad hoc committee of parents involved so that everyone feels vested in the decision,’’ she said. “That’s what the board should be doing.”

Cervantes said that she would like to examine the compensation packages for Business Administrator Brian Smyth, Curriculum Director Marianne Gaffney and Assistant Superintendent Sandra Brower for possible savings.

“Those are our highest cost contracts,’’ Cervantes said. “If we can find some economies there, we should be looking at that.’’

Cervantes also said the high school’s transition to block scheduling – which will reduce the number of classes while extending the time spent in each class to 80 minutes – likely will require the board to make rapid, if minor, changes as necessary to support adjustment to the new schedule.

Cervantes said she sees the new scheduling overall as positive, however.

“The more I read about it, the more I like it,’’ she said. “Reducing the amount of transitioning between classes, saving time and putting that time back into the education process -- I see that as a savings and as a benefit.’’

The rollout of the block scheduling to parents, however, is an example of missteps by the board to effectively communicate to district parents. Cervantes said she has noticed what she called a growing “disconnect’’ between the board and the public that she hopes to remedy, if elected.

“There had been whisperings (about the new schedule),’’ Cervantes said. “But no one (at least at the elementary) level, knew until January. I think it could have been handled a little better, to give parents time to digest it. It was a little abrupt.’’

It was the same way with the closure of school following last year’s blizzard, which was also a botched opportunity at effective communication, she said.

“If they had had a robo call – just a simple communication to let people know why the school was going to be closed,’’ she said. “Just give people the information they need. They may not like it, but they respect that and they understand it.’’

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Other School Board Candidate Profiles: